MULTILAYER GROWTH AND WETTING BEHAVIOR OF NITROGEN PHYSISORBED ON GRAPHITE

The multilayer growth of N2 on graphite has been studied by ellipsometry and stray-light measurements. Above the alpha-beta transition temperature of bulk N2, there is incomplete wetting with a sequence of layering transitions which could be followed from the fifth to the tenth layer. At lower temperatures, the adsorption isotherms show only two stable monolayer steps; however, optically smooth layers of alpha solid can be grown on top of the double layer.