Related papers: Small atoms fall into bulk from non-close-packed s…
A tutorial overview is given on interactions between atoms and surfaces that are mediated by the electromagnetic field. The emphasis is on dispersion (or van der Waals) forces and transitions induced by thermal fluctuations in the near…
We have studied the diffusion inside the silica network of sodium atoms initially located outside the surfaces of an amorphous silica film. We have focused our attention on structural and dynamical quantities, and we have found that the…
No surface is perfectly planar at all scales. The notion of flatness of a surface therefore depends on the size of the probe used to observe it. As a consequence rough interfaces are abundant in nature. Here the old, but still active field…
We study the surface growth generated by the random deposition of particles of different sizes. A model is proposed where the particles are aggregated on an initially flat surface, giving rise to a rough interface and a porous bulk. By…
Using a combined quantum mechanical/classical method, we study the dynamics of deposition of small Na clusters on Ar(001) surface. We work out basic mechanisms by systematic variation of substrate activity, impact energy, cluster…
We describe a new mechanism of decoherence in excited atoms as a result of thermal particles scattering by the atomic nucleus. It is based on the idea that a single scattering will produce a sudden displacement of the nucleus, which will be…
Obtaining general relations between macroscopic properties of random assemblies, such as density, and the microscopic properties of their constituent particles, such as shape, is a foundational challenge in the study of amorphous materials.…
A detailed study of the dispersion law of surface excitations in liquid \hef at zero temperature is presented, with special emphasis to the short wave length region. The hybridization mechanism between surface and bulk modes is discussed on…
Investigating atom-surface interactions is the key to an in-depth understanding of chemical processes at interfaces, which are of central importance in many fields -- from heterogeneous catalysis to corrosion. In this work, we present a…
Adsorption of small amphiphilic molecules occurs in various biological and technological processes, sometimes desired, the other times unwanted (e.g., contamination). Surface-active molecules preferentially bind to interfaces and affect…
The off-normal ion irradiation of semiconductor materials is seen to induce nanopatterning effects. Different theories are proposed to explain the mechanisms that drive self-reorganization of amorphisable surfaces. One of the prominent…
The excitation of atomic levels due to interaction with electromagnetic waves became of interest in accelerator physics in relation to high efficiency charge exchange injection into rings for high beam power applications. Usually, the beam…
Trapping a Rydberg atom close to a surface is an important step towards the realisation of many proposals of quantum information or hybrid quantum systems. One of the challenges in these experiments is to overcome the electric field…
We use molecular dynamics computer simulations to study the equilibrium properties of the surface of amorphous silica. Two types of geometries are investigated: i) clusters with different diameters (13.5\AA, 19\AA, and 26.5\AA) and ii) a…
The $1s^2->1s2p(^1P)$ excitation in confined and compressed helium atoms in either the bulk material or encapsulated in a bubble is shifted to energies higher than that in the free atom. For bulk helium, the energy shifts predicted from…
We use molecular simulations to study the nonadhesive and adhesive atomic-scale contact of rough spheres with radii ranging from nanometers to micrometers over more than ten orders of magnitude in applied normal load. At the lowest loads,…
The potential scattering of electrons carrying non--zero quanta of the orbital angular momentum (OAM) is studied in a framework of the generalized Born approximation, developed in our recent paper by Karlovets \textit{et al.}, Phys. Rev. A.…
Diffraction of atoms from surfaces provides detailed insights into structures, interactions, and dynamical processes. However, currently the method is limited to measurements in reflection - diffraction through materials has only been…
We consider binary mixtures of soft repulsive spherical particles and calculate the depletion interaction between two big spheres mediated by the fluid of small spheres, using different theoretical and simulation methods. The validity of…
Understanding non-equilibrium phenomena, such as growth, and connecting them to equilibrium phase behavior is a major challenge, in particular for complex multicomponent materials. We use X-ray reflectivity to determine the surface…