Liquid surfaces

This chapter is devoted to the experimental determination of the concentration depth profiles at liquid surfaces, employing the concept of lateral homogeneity. It shows how surface and interface analysis can contribute to the understanding of ion-specific effects at surfaces formed by solutions with inorganic ions. The chapter focuses on electron spectroscopy and ion scattering spectroscopy techniques. It also focuses on the mechanism of energy transfer in the case of metastable-induced electron spectroscopy that causes the mentioned perfect surface sensitivity. Although solid surfaces are often hindered to relax into thermodynamic equilibrium, liquid surfaces can usually be considered as relaxed within the time scale of experimental observation. The chapter deals with the local lateral structure, i.e. the surface topography around selected ions that can be explored by means of angular-resolved neutral impact collision ion scattering spectroscopy.