Solid-state dewetting of polycrystalline thin films: a phase field approach

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

Abstract

Solid-state dewetting is the process by which thin solid films break up and retract on a substrate, forming nanostructures. While dewetting of single-crystalline films is understood as a surface-energy-driven process mediated by surface diffusion, polycrystalline films exhibit additional complexity due to the presence of grain boundaries. Most theoretical and computational studies have focused on single-crystalline dewetting. Here, we present the application of the grand-potential multi-phase-field model to the dewetting of thin polycrystalline films in three dimensions, reproducing the key phenomenology of this process. By considering isotropic interface/surface energy, we illustrate its consistency with predictions based on energetic arguments and the morphological evolution towards equilibrium. We also provide novel analytical criteria for the onset of three-dimensional dewetting, serving as fundamental theoretical benchmarks, and highlight the critical role of triple junctions. Moreover, we unveil the dewetting behavior of polycrystalline patches, extending the scenarios of their single-crystalline counterparts.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Aufsatznummer117220
FachzeitschriftScripta materialia
Jahrgang277
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 1 Mai 2026
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-4217-0951/work/211721384

Schlagworte

Schlagwörter

  • Grain boundaries, Phase-field model, Surface diffusion, Thin films