Shape of a Liquid Front upon Dewetting

R. Seemann, S. Herminghaus, and K. Jacobs
Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 196101 – Published 17 October 2001; Erratum Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 249902 (2001)
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Abstract

The profile of a liquid front of a polymer film dewetting a solid substrate is examined by atomic force microscopy. The material removed from the substrate is accumulated in a rim next to the three-phase contact line. Theory predicts the leading edge of the rim profile to be a damped harmonic oscillation for a large class of systems. This is investigated experimentally for the first time, and we show that a non-Newtonian liquid behaves qualitatively different due to viscoelastic effects. It is pointed out that analysis of the rim shapes allows one to study quantitatively the rheological properties of complex fluids on a nanometer scale.

  • Received 7 June 2001

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.196101

©2001 American Physical Society

Erratum

Erratum: Shape of a Liquid Front upon Dewetting [Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 196101 (2001)]

R. Seemann, S. Herminghaus, and K. Jacobs
Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 249902 (2001)

Authors & Affiliations

R. Seemann, S. Herminghaus, and K. Jacobs

  • Department of Applied Physics, University of Ulm, D-89069 Ulm, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 87, Iss. 19 — 5 November 2001

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