Abstract
Variational calculations are carried out for liquid 4He with a free surface. Five classes of wave functions are studied, four of which permit the density profile to exhibit oscillations near the surface. We conclude that it is not possible to determine with certainty whether density oscillations exist by variational methods alone. On the other hand, certain qualitative features of the layered structure and quantitative bounds on the extent of the oscillations can be observed, if the latter indeed exist. These observations lead us to believe that effects of a layered structure on, e.g., evaporation, surface scattering, and properties of adsorbates are probably too weak to be detectable.
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Work supported in part by the National Science Foundation through Grant No. DMR74-09661.
Work carried out in connection with honors research for the B.A. degree.
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Wojcik, L.A., Shih, Y.M. & Woo, CW. Do density oscillations exist near the free surface of 4He?. J Low Temp Phys 23, 345–350 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00116925
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00116925