Measurement of the liquid-structure factor of supercooled gallium and mercury

The structure factor of supercooled liquid gallium and mercury has been measured as a function of temperature with Cu-Kα x radiation. The use of samples consisting of a planar array of a large number of small droplets of about 10-μm diameter allowed supercooling down to 70â°C and 40â°C below the melting points of gallium and mercury, respectively. The experimental data are analyzed and discussed in view of recent theories of the liquid-solid transition. © 1974 The American Physical Society.