The Structure of Liquid Xenon

Abstract

The structure of liquid xenon has been investigated by means of the diffraction of monochromatic silver Kα x‐radiation. Patterns were obtained under three sets of conditions: (1) Temperature −110°C, pressure 1 atmos., specific volume 0.324 cc/g; (2) temperature −90°C, pressure 2.5 atmos., specific volume 0.339 cc/g; (3) temperature −90°C, pressure 130 atmos., specific volume 0.324 cc/g. The number of nearest neighbors varies from 9 to 10 and their distance from the central atom from 4.43A to 4.50A. It is found that, in liquid xenon, the structure is determined mainly by the specific volume, with the temperature giving a lesser effect.