English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) is a scattering technique whichallows one to characterize the structure of fluid interfaces down to themolecular scale, including the measurement of the surface tension and of theinterface roughness. However, the corresponding standard data analysis atnon-zero wave numbers has been criticized as to be inconclusive because thescattering intensity is polluted by the unavoidable scattering from the bulk.Here we overcome this ambiguity by proposing a physically consistent model ofthe bulk contribution which is based on a minimal set of assumptions ofexperimental relevance. To this end, we derive an explicit integral expressionfor the background scattering, which can be determined numerically from thestatic structure factors of the coexisting bulk phases as independent input.Concerning the interpretation of GIXRD data inferred from computer simulations,we account also for the finite sizes of the bulk phases, which are unavoidablein simulations. The corresponding leading-order correction beyond the dominantcontribution to the scattered intensity is revealed by asymptotic analysis,which is characterized by the competition between the linear system size andthe X-ray penetration depth in the case of simulations. Specifically, we havecalculated the expected GIXRD intensity for scattering at the planarliquid--vapor interface of Lennard-Jones fluids with truncated pairinteractions via extensive, high-precision simulations. The reported data coverinterfacial and bulk properties of fluid states along the whole liquid--vaporcoexistence line. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates the robustness of ourfindings concerning the detailed definition of the mean interface position. Weconclude that previous claims of an enhanced surface tension at mesoscopicscales are amenable to unambiguous tests via scattering experiments.

Structure of liquid--vapor interfaces: perspectives from liquid state  theory, large-scale simulations, and potential grazing-incidence X-ray  diffraction