LINE TENSION OF LIQUID-HELIUM AT PREWETTING TRANSITIONS

A simple model based on interfacial description is used to calculate t he line tension of liquid helium at prewetting transitions, i.e. the e nergy associated with the region which joins the two phases in equilib rium, as a function of the amplitude of the prewetting jump d. The val ues are typically one order of magnitude smaller than sigma d, where s igma is the surface tension.