Understanding fluid
instabilities on micro and nanoscale is relevant for a
variety of reasons. From scientific point of view, modeling
systems involving fluid-solid interfaces is challenging,
particularly if contact lines are present. From
practical side, fluid film evolution and resulting
instabilities and crucial for making progress in the field
of self and directed assembly on nanoscale. The resulting
structures may be of relevance to a number of emerging
technologies in the fields that vary from MEMS and
plasmonics to DNA analysis.
This talk will focus on
recently developed models and computational techniques for
thin films. The models to be considered include
long-wave asymptotic approach as well as full Navier-Stokes
based models. Both types of models have been
augmented to explicitly include fluid/solid interaction
forces via disjoining pressure approach. The
simulation techniques include recently developed algorithms
for GPU computing that allow for simulations of large
domains and detailed analysis of various instability
mechanisms within long-wave approach, as well as
volume-of-fluid based simulations of Navier-Stokes
equations. Two case studies will be discussed: (i) Liquid
crystal films, for which the challenge is to include
liquid-crystalline nature of the fluid in the model in a
tractable manner, and (ii) Liquid metal films
irradiated by laser pulses; in this case, one of the
challenges is to include complex thermal effects into
consideration and understand their influence on the film
instability and resulting pattern formation.
Particular issues that will be considered include the
influence of the initial geometry on the instability
development, Marangoni effects, and the instabilities in the
case of multi-fluid configurations.