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Wetting Phase Transition at the Surface of Liquid Ga-Bi alloys: An X-ray Reflectivity Study

Holger Tostmann·Oleg Shpyrko·Peter S. Pershan·Elaine Dimasi·Ben Ocko·Moshe Deutsch
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Abstract

X-ray reflectivity measurements of the binary liquid Ga-Bi alloy reveal a dramatically different surface structure above and below the monotectic temperature $T_{mono}=222^{\circ}$ C. A Gibbs-adsorbed Bi monolayer resides at the surface at both regimes. However, a 30 Å thick, Bi-rich wetting film intrudes between the Bi monolayer and the Ga-rich bulk for $T > T_{mono}$. The internal structure of the wetting film is determined with Å resolution, showing a theoretically unexpected concentration gradient and a highly diffuse interface with the bulk phase.

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Holger Tostmann, Oleg Shpyrko, Peter S. Pershan, Elaine Dimasi, Ben Ocko, Moshe Deutsch. 2004-07-11. Wetting Phase Transition at the Surface of Liquid Ga-Bi alloys: An X-ray Reflectivity Study. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.84.4385

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