Surface freezing in a liquid eutectic Ga-Bi alloy has been studied by secon
d harmonic generation and plasma excitation in several cooling and heating
cycles at different temperature rates. An ordered solid-like film is observ
ed on top of the bulk liquid which forms at a temperature well above the eu
tectic temperature. The hysteresis behaviour of crystallisation and melting
of this film indicates that this surface phase transition is of first orde
r, which is reported for the first time. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All
rights reserved.