Simulations of an electromigration-induced edge instability in single-crystal metal lines

We study the time evolution of a perturbation to the edge of an otherwise s traight, current-carrying, single-crystal metal line. If the applied curren t exceeds a critical value, the perturbation grows to become a slit-shaped void that spans the wire, and that leads to electrical failure. The slits i n our simulations are remarkably similar to those observed in experiments, and in some respects resemble viscous fingers in a Hele-Shaw cell.