Far-infrared and capacitance measurements of electrons on liquid helium

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Abstract
We have used the techniques of far-infrared laser spectroscopy to study transitions of electrons between bound states in the potential well near a liquid-helium surface. Data measured as a function of surface charge density are used to deduce the local positional disorder of the surface electrons as was reported in a recent Letter. Measurements at low surface charge density and high electric fields are compared with models of the liquid-gas interface. Capacitance measurements and electrostatic calculations provide an accurate determination of the surface charge density and the applied electric field. These calculations show that the charge only covers part of the liquid surface.