Sodium dimers on the surface of liquid {sup 4}He
- Istituto Nazionale per la Fisica della Materia, Dipartimento di Fisica ``Galileo Galilei,`` Universita di Padova, via Marzolo 8, I-35131 Padova (Italy)
We have studied the structure of a sodium dimer interacting with liquid {sup 4}He. We calculated the equilibrium configuration and binding energy of a Na{sub 2} molecule solvated in a bulk liquid {sup 4}He ``bubble`` and near the liquid-vapor interface ``dimple`` by using a density-functional approach. We find that the solvated molecule is a metastable state, while the the lowest energy bound state occurs when the molecule lies flat on the surface of the liquid. The binding energy for the ``erect`` dimer is only {similar_to}1 K higher than the flat dimer, with no potential energy barrier between the two orientations, implying relatively free rotations of the molecule on the surface. The small effects of the liquid environment on the vibrational properties of the dimer are investigated.
- OSTI ID:
- 147772
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Vol. 52, Issue 22; Other Information: PBD: 1 Dec 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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