Novel wetting behavior of ^{4}He on cesium

Abstract
We have measured He4 adsorption isotherms on a cesium substrate above and below Tλ using a quartz-microbalance technique. The results show that the cesium surface remains dry until the pressure almost reaches the saturated vapor pressure. At liquid-vapor coexistence, however, the wetting film continuously thickens to more than 30 layers. Below Tλ, the film at coexistence is superfluid. Above Tλ, we resolve a feature in the isotherm just below saturated vapor pressure which is characteristic of a prewetting transition.

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