Adsorption isotherms of hydrogen: The role of thermal fluctuations - art. no. 196105

Authors
Vorberg, J Herminghaus, S Mecke, K
Citation
J. Vorberg et al., Adsorption isotherms of hydrogen: The role of thermal fluctuations - art. no. 196105, PHYS REV L, 8719(19), 2001, pp. 6105
Citations number
27
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
ISSN journal
00319007 → ACNP
Volume
8719
Issue
19
Year of publication
2001
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-9007(20011105)8719:19<6105:AIOHTR>2.0.ZU;2-P
Abstract
It is shown that experimentally obtained isotherms of adsorption on solid s ubstrates may be completely reconciled with Lifshitz theory when thermal fl uctuations of the free film surface are taken into account. This is demonst rated for hydrogen adsorbed on gold as a model system. Analysis of the fluc tuation contributions allows one to determine the surface tension of the fr ee hydrogen film as a function of film thickness. It is found to decrease s harply for film thicknesses below seven atomic layers.