Abstract
IF a strong light beam falls on the surface of a liquid, most of it will be reflected and refracted in certain directions, but a small part will be scattered in all other directions. This light scattering is caused by small surface ripples (corrugations) arising from thermal motion. The scattering intensity is proportional to kT/γ, where k is the Boltzmann constant, T the absolute temperature and γ the surface tension. In the case of a thin, free, liquid film (as found in soap bubbles), the scattered light also contains information about the interaction forces between the two film surfaces. According to the theory of Vrij1, the second derivative, d2F/dh2, of the interaction free energy, F, between the two film surfaces, with respect to the film thickness, h, can be obtained in this way.
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References
Vrij, A., J. Colloid Sci., 19, 1–27 (1964). Vrij, A., Adv. Colloid Interface Sci., 2, 39–64 (1968).
Mann, J. A., jun., J. Colloid Interface Sci., 25, 437–441 (1967).
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RIJNBOUT, J., DONNERS, W. & VRIJ, A. Light scattering from soap films. Nature 249, 242 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/249242b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/249242b0
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