Wetting of Spherical Surfaces by Quantum Fluids

Abstract

We study adsorption of atoms and fluids on spherical surfaces and present resugts for helium on weak to moderately strong adsorbers such as Cs, Li and Mg. We investigate the growth of a helium film as a function of the number of atoms, by means of a finite range density functional theory. We identify a crossover between nonadsorption and weak adsorption as the sphere radius increases. Path Integral Monte Carlo simulations provide semiquantitative support to these predictions.