ON THE THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY OF CONFINED THIN-FILMS UNDER SHEAR

Citation
Dj. Diestler et al., ON THE THERMODYNAMIC STABILITY OF CONFINED THIN-FILMS UNDER SHEAR, Science, 262(5133), 1993, pp. 545-547
Citations number
14
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00368075
Volume
262
Issue
5133
Year of publication
1993
Pages
545 - 547
Database
ISI
SICI code
0036-8075(1993)262:5133<545:OTTSOC>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
Thin films of monatomic fluid constrained between two plane-parallel s tructured solid walls have been modeled by Monte Carlo simulation unde r conditions (fixed temperature, chemical potential, and normal stress or load) prevailing in high-precision measurements of surface forces. Several states of the film, corresponding to different numbers of lay ers of fluid parallel with the walls, are generally consistent with th ese conditions, but only one is thermodynamically stable; the others a re metastable. When the walls are properly aligned, epitaxial solid ph ases are stable. These melt under shear, eventually becoming metastabl e, whereupon a drainage (or imbibition) transition occurs, leading to a stable phase with fewer (or more) layers.