Solid State and Optics Seminar

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

1:00 p.m.

107 Mason Lab

"Fundamental and Practical Aspects of Nanoscale Liquid Interfaces"

Dr. B. Ocko
Brookhaven National Lab

Abstract

This talk will explore the basic physics of equilibrium liquids on the nanoscale. The talk will start with a brief review of classical macroscopic capillarity theory. By using chemically nanopatterned substrates, the lateral size of droplets can be confined to the nanoscale. The shape of liquid drops on these surfaces differs from that predicted by classical capillary theory. This difference arises from addition, wetting studies on physically nanopatterned surfaces will be presented. As revealed by x-ray scattering studies, the wetting behavior differs from the expected power-law thickness dependence as a function of the chemical potential offset that has been predicted and observed on smooth substrates. Microscopic effects of surface induced order at liquid interfaces, such as surface freezing, will also be discussed. Finally, the macroscopic wetting effects of nanopatterned surfaces will be presented.

Host: Simon Mochrie