The electrical properties of ice/solid interface were considered theoretically, and studying experimentally using the field transistor technique[1]. The theoretical approach generalizes the linear[2] and partial[1] solutions reported before. The system of nonlinear equations is solved numerically and approximations are obtained for the most important cases. The relationship between the perpendicular electric field, E, applied to the crystal, configurational vector, [OMEGA], electric charge densities, ni, and surface conductivity, [SIGMA]s, is obtained. The thickness of the surface layer in which the electric charge density substantially differs from the value in the bulk of ice is expressed in terms of the layer capacitance, and surface conductivity. We used a field effect transistor made of ice to determine the DC and AC surface conductivity, and the electric capacitance of the ice/SiO2 interface in a wide temperature range. The thickness and the electric charge density of this interfacial layer were obtained. The paper discusses the important role that this electrical layer plays in forming the structure and physical properties of a liquid-like layer on the ice surface.

[1] Petrenko V. F. and Maeno N. "Ice field transistor, J. de Physique, C1, 115-119 (1987).
[2] Petrenko V. F. and Ryzhkin I. A., "Dielectric properties of ice in the presence of space charge", Physica Status Solidi (b), 121, 421-7 (1984).