Surface layering in liquid gallium: An x-ray reflectivity study

M. J. Regan, E. H. Kawamoto, S. Lee, P. S. Pershan, N. Maskil, M. Deutsch, O. M. Magnussen, B. M. Ocko, L. E. Berman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

285 Scopus citations

Abstract

Surface-induced atomic layering in liquid gallium has been observed using x-ray reflectivity, ultrahigh vacuum conditions, and sputtered clean surfaces. Reflectivity data, collected on a supercooled liquid sample to momentum transfers as large as qz=3.0 Å-1, exhibit a strong maximum near 2.4 Å -1 indicating a layer spacing that is comparable to its atomic dimensions. The amplitude of the electron density oscillations decays with a characteristic length of 6 Å. This is unexpectedly twice that of recent results for Hg, and the difference may be related to covalent bonding or supercooling.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2498-2501
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume75
Issue number13
DOIs
StatePublished - 1995

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