TY - JOUR
T1 - Flow of thin films on patterned surfaces
T2 - Controlling the instability
AU - Kondic, L.
AU - Diez, J.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2011 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2002/4
Y1 - 2002/4
N2 - We present fully nonlinear time-dependent simulations of the gravity-driven flow of thin wetting liquid films. The computations of the flow on a homogeneous substrate show that the contact line, becomes unstable and develops a fingerlike or sawtooth structure [Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 632 (2001)]. These computations are extended to patterned surfaces, where surface heterogeneities are introduced in a controllable manner. We discuss the conditions that need to be satisfied so that surface properties lead to predictable pattern formation and controllable wetting of the substrate. These conditions are sensitive to the presence of noise which is introduced by random perturbations of the contact line. We analyze this sensitivity and suggest how the effects of noise can be minimized. Applications of these results to technologically relevant flows are discussed.
AB - We present fully nonlinear time-dependent simulations of the gravity-driven flow of thin wetting liquid films. The computations of the flow on a homogeneous substrate show that the contact line, becomes unstable and develops a fingerlike or sawtooth structure [Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 632 (2001)]. These computations are extended to patterned surfaces, where surface heterogeneities are introduced in a controllable manner. We discuss the conditions that need to be satisfied so that surface properties lead to predictable pattern formation and controllable wetting of the substrate. These conditions are sensitive to the presence of noise which is introduced by random perturbations of the contact line. We analyze this sensitivity and suggest how the effects of noise can be minimized. Applications of these results to technologically relevant flows are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.65.045301
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.65.045301
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:37649032628
VL - 65
SP - 045301/1-045301/4
JO - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
JF - Physical Review E - Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics
SN - 1063-651X
IS - 4
M1 - 045301
ER -