Unique new technique of thin film infrared spectroscopy using low energies, short scan times (0.1 s) for microgram samples on a silver halide planar fiber. We have thus characterized seven oligomers of water and the formation of 310, alpha and the previously undetected pi-helices of N-methyl acetamide. The technique is now being extended to polyethylene substrates yielding new insights into the nature of the contact region between hydrophobic surfaces and water.