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arXiv · 2507.10811

Solid-State Dewetting of Polycrystalline Thin Films: a Phase Field Approach

Paul Hoffrogge·Nils Becker·Daniel Schneider·Britta Nestler·Axel Voigt·Marco Salvalaglio
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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 grandpotential 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.

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Paul Hoffrogge, Nils Becker, Daniel Schneider, Britta Nestler, Axel Voigt, Marco Salvalaglio. 2025-07-14. Solid-State Dewetting of Polycrystalline Thin Films: a Phase Field Approach. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2026.117220

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