The interplay of phase separation, preferential wetting, and capillary inst
ability in thin-film polymer blends is investigated using composition-profi
ling and surface-imaging techniques. The phase-separating films exhibit a u
nique morphology with two evolving lateral length scales at both the free f
ilm surface and the interface between the wetting and nonwetting layers. Th
e short-wavelength mode shows power-law growth at both the free film surfac
e and the interface, but with a smaller growth exponent at the surface, imp
lying slower kinetics. The long-wavelength mode shows two power-law growth
regimes separated by a plateau.