SURFACE CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF LIQUID GALLIUM OR GALLIUM ALLOY MIRROR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for treating the surface of liquid gallium or gallium alloy so as to enable long-term use as a liquid mirror. SOLUTION: The method includes (a) a step for bringing the surface of liquid gallium or gallium alloy into contact with an aqueous solution of a halogen acid to dissolve all gallium oxide present on the surface and to obtain an oxide-free surface of the liquid gallium or gallium alloy coated with a layer of the acid solution, (b) a step for adding an aqueous solution containing such an amount of a surfactant as to form a single bimolecular layer of the surfactant on the interface between the liquid gallium or gallium alloy and water to the acid solution and (c) a step for forming a passivated oxide layer having <40 nm surface irregularity on the oxide-free surface of the liquid gallium or gallium alloy.