Thierry Corti

An experimental examination of intensity fluctuations of a host droplet containing an inclusion

We report experimental data showing the dependence of the experimental intensity fluctuation amplitudes at a scattering angle of 90° of a liquid droplet with an inclusion. Despite efforts to match the refractive indices of host and inclusion, we could not make the amplitude vanish. This could be due to a non-uniform refractive index of the solid inclusion. Qualitative agreement is reached between experimental results and model simulations.

Improved inverted bubble method for measuring small contact angles at crystal-solution-vapor interfaces

We propose and evaluate an improvement of the inverted bubble method, originally proposed by McLachlan and Cox [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 46, 80 (1975)], a technique for measuring small contact angles at crystal-solution-vapor interfaces on a gas bubble under a solid immersed in a test solution. A simple experimental setup is used to evaluate the proposed method. We conclude that the method is suitable for measuring small contact angles with a minimum detectable angle of about 3 degrees . Improvements in instrument design are proposed to lower the detection limit to 0.5 degrees or below.