Interfacial Instability Driven by Dispersive Forces: The Early Stages of Spinodal Dewetting of a Thin Polymer Film on a Polymer Substrate

Abstract

The interface between ultrathin deuterated poly(methyl methacrylate) films on polystyrene substrates is subject to a dispersive force driven instability consisting of thermally excited capillary waves. We have studied this example 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.