FLUCTUATION OF THE NUMBER OF ADSORBED PARTICLES ANALYZED BY A VIRIAL EXPANSION - COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIMENT AND THEORY

The irreversible random adsorption of particles on a surface is guided by the available surface function φ. The relative fluctuation σ2/〈n〉 in the number of particles n in a finite region provides one characterization of the distribution of these particles on the surface. We show rigorously that the two quantities are given by the same expression to first order in the surface coverage, for any irreversible adsorption process. This is confirmed in two particular cases: for random sequential adsorption, where values for σ2/〈n〉 from numerical simulations can be compared to an analytic expression for φ, and for Ballistic deposition, where experimental values for deposition under a strong gravitational influence can also be compared to an existing analytical expression for φ. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.