Time-resolved interference unveils nanoscale surface dynamics in evaporating sessile droplet

Abstract

We report a simple optical technique to measure time-resolved nanoscale surface profile of an evaporating sessile fluid droplet. By analyzing the high contrast Newton-ring like dynamical fringes formed by interfering Fresnel reflections, we demonstrated λ/100 ≈ 5 nm sensitivity in surface height (at 0.01–160 nm/s rate) of an evaporating water drop. The remarkably high sensitivity allowed us to precisely measure its transient surface dynamics during contact-line slips, weak perturbations on the evaporation due to external magnetic field and partial confinement of the drop. Further, we measured evaporation dynamics of a sessile water drop on soft deformable surface to demonstrate wide applicability of this technique.