Interfacial instability driven by dispersive forces: The early stages of spinodal dewetting of a thin polymer film on a polymer substrate

Authors
Sferrazza, M Heppenstall-Butler, M Cubitt, R Bucknall, D Webster, J Jones, RAL
Citation
M. Sferrazza et al., Interfacial instability driven by dispersive forces: The early stages of spinodal dewetting of a thin polymer film on a polymer substrate, PHYS REV L, 81(23), 1998, pp. 5173-5176
Citations number
11
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
ISSN journal
00319007 → ACNP
Volume
81
Issue
23
Year of publication
1998
Pages
5173 - 5176
Database
ISI
SICI code
0031-9007(199812)81:23<5173:IIDBDF>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
The interface between ultrathin deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate) films on polystyrene substrates is subject to a dispersive force driven instabili ty consisting of thermally excited capillary waves. We have studied this ex ample of liquid/liquid spinodal dewetting, using specular and off-specular neutron reflection measurements to characterize the length scale and growth rate of the instability of the buried, polymer interfaces. [S0031-9007(98) 07842-9].