The Effects of a Stress-Dependent Mobility on Interfacial Stability

Abstract

A linear morphological stability analysis of a planar interface in interface reaction-controlled growth is presented. We allow the mobility of the interface to be a function of the elastic stress, and nd that the stress dependent mobility can be either stabilizing or destabilizing. We nd that a stress dependent mobility can be the dominant factor leading to instability at small stresses. The predictions are compared to the recent experiments by Barvosa-Carter et al. In agreement with their conclusions, we find that the experiments were performed in a parameter range where the stress dependent mobility is the dominant cause of instability. The prediction of the critical wavenumber for and amplification rate of the instability is consistent with the experimental results.