X-ray studies of atomic layering at liquid metal surfaces

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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Surface-induced layering has been observed in liquid gallium and mercury using X-ray reflectivity. The specular reflectivity R(qz) has been measured to wavevector transfers as large as qz = 3.0 Å-1. For Ga, the only major deviations from Fresnel theory Rf are near qz = 2.4 Å-1, where there is a peak in the ratio R/Rf. For Hg, there is a broad peak near 2.15 Å-1. The data have been collected on a sputtered clean, ultra-high vacuum Ga surface and on a Hg surface in a reducing atmosphere of hydrogen. The data can be explained with a layered liquid/vapor interface that is roughened by thermally excited capillary waves. The layer spacing is similar to the Ga or Hg atomic dimensions, extending into the bulk with an exponential decay length of 6 Å for Ga and 3 Å for Hg.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)762-766
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Non-Crystalline Solids
Volume205-207
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1996

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work has been supported by grants from the US Department of Energy, DE-FG02-8%ER45379 and the National Science Foundation, DMR-94- 00396 and DMR-91-13782. Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-76CH00016. Support from the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Jerusalem,i s gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

This work has been supported by grants from the US Department of Energy, DE-FG02-8%ER45379 and the National Science Foundation, DMR-94- 00396 and DMR-91-13782. Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by DOE Contract No. DE-AC02-76CH00016. Support from the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Jerusalem,i s gratefully acknowledged.

FundersFunder number
National Science FoundationDMR-94- 00396, DMR-91-13782
U.S. Department of EnergyDE-FG02-8%ER45379, DE-AC02-76CH00016
United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'X-ray studies of atomic layering at liquid metal surfaces'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this