Levitation of liquid microdroplets over a dry heated substrate near triple-phase contact line

Abstract

Levitating droplets of liquid condensate are known to organize themselves into ordered arrays over hot liquid-gas interfaces. We report experimental observation of similar behaviour over a dry heated substrate in the vicinity of the triple-phase contact line with high local evaporation rate. It was found that there is an area near the contact line, where no levitating droplets are observed. The width of this area increases with the substrate temperature. Also, it was found that the distance between adjacent levitating droplets increases with the temperature.