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Anomalous layering at the liquid Sn surface

Oleg G. Shpyrko·Alexei Yu. Grigoriev·Peter S. Pershan·Binhua Lin·Mati Meron·Tim Graber·Jeff Gebhardt·Ben Ocko·Moshe Deutsch
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Abstract

X-ray reflectivity measurements on the free surface of liquid Sn are presented. They exhibit the high-angle peak, indicative of surface-induced layering, also found for other pure liquid metals (Hg, Ga and In). However, a low-angle peak, not hitherto observed for any pure liquid metal, is also found, indicating the presence of a high-density surface layer. Fluorescence and resonant reflectivity measurements rule out the assignment of this layer to surface-segregation of impurities. The reflectivity is modelled well by a 10% contraction of the spacing between the first and second atomic surface layers, relative to that of subsequent layers. Possible reasons for this are discussed.

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Oleg G. Shpyrko, Alexei Yu. Grigoriev, Peter S. Pershan, Binhua Lin, Mati Meron, Tim Graber, Jeff Gebhardt, Ben Ocko, Moshe Deutsch. 2004-12-15. Anomalous layering at the liquid Sn surface. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevb.70.224206

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