Investigation of quantum systems with surface plasmons and surface state electrons

The authors report on investigations of thin films of the quantum systems hydrogen and helium both in thermodynamic equilibrium and in metastable states. Information about the film thickness and surface roughness is obtained from the excitation of surface plasmons and mobility measurements of surface state electrons. The equilibrium studies show triple-point wetting for H2 on Au substrates, in agreement with earlier results for similar systems. Unexpectedly, a distinct hysteretic behavior of the saturated film thickness is found near the triple-point. Superfluid 4He films on as prepared Ag display complete wetting. Investigations of H2 films in metastable states prepared by quench-condensation at 1.5K reveal pronounced changes in the film structure upon annealing. These changes set in far below the desorption temperature and are ascribed to surface diffusion