We have measured the adsorption of argon films on arrays of microscopic nonlinear cusps and of semicircular channels. In the former case, we observe a distinct crossover from a planar-like to a geometry dependent growth behavior near liquid-vapor bulk coexistence, characterized by a growth exponent equal to −0.96±0.04, in very good agreement with the predictions of the scaling theory of Rascon and Parry. The crossover location is also consistent with theory. Instead, on the concave channels we find a much steeper growth near saturation that may signal the formation of two menisci at both sides of the channel bottom.

L. Bruschi, G. Fois, G. Mistura, M. Tormen, V. Garbin, E. Di Fabrizio, A. Gerardino, M. Natali, Journal of Chemical Physics 125, 144709 (2006)