Modeling of menisci and capillary forces from the millimeter to the micrometer size range

This paper examines lateral capillary interactions between millimeter- and sub-millimeter-sized objects floating at the interface between perfluorodec alin (PFD) and water. It describes methods-both experimental and computatio nal-that allow the shape of the interface to be described for various geome tries of the interacting objects. From these shapes, it derives the energy profiles characterizing the lateral capillary interactions. This work also demonstrates a new experimental method of imaging and studying menisci, and of studying capillary interactions between objects.