Short-wavelength collective excitations in liquid mercury investigated by inelastic X-ray scattering

Abstract

Short-wavelength collective excitations in liquid mercury at room temperature have been studied by inelastic X-ray scattering. Up to Q values of about 17 nm-1, clear evidence for the existence of propagating modes was found from the shape of S(Q,ω) at constant Q. The Q–ω behaviour of these excitations is described in a simplified viscoelastic view.