Does the three-dimensional capillary wave model lead to a universally valid and pathology-free description of the liquid-vapor interface nearg=0? a controversial point of view

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Since the predictions of the capillary wave model (CWM) are often claimed to be universally valid, we scrutinize its microscopic foundations and discuss the legitimacy of the necessary approximations. We show that there may very well be regimes where the CWM is inadequate and demonstrate how to treat such scenarios. As the CWM—despite of its lack of microscopic foundation—seems to be supported by its appealing scaling properties (ind<3), we examine the scaling behavior also ford=3. It turns out that the CWM ind=3-especially the corresponding direct correlation function and several of its descendants—is plagued by various pathologies which exclude a proper scaling limit in the usual sense. In connection with these features we critically comment upon recent work of Weekset al., presenting a markedly deviating interpretation of the phenomena which emerge wheng goes to zero.