Mathematics

Reports Summarize Geometry Study Results from Center for Nanoscale Materials

  2012 APR 17 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Researchers detail in "Geometric control of rippling in supported polymer nanolines," new data in Geometry. "We study the swelling behavior of finlike polymer line gratings supported on a rigid substrate and show that the edge-supported polymer laminae undergo a rippling instability with a well-defined ripple wavelength ? transverse to the plane of the solid supporting substrate and a ripple amplitude that monotonically decreases from its maximum at the free-edge. These ripple patterns develop due to inhomogeneous compressive strains that arise from the geometric constraints that progressively suppress swelling near the supporting substrate where the laminae are clamped," scientists in Argonne, Illinois report.

  "By experimentally examining the influence of swelling strain and pattern geometry on the observed rippling instability, we find that the ripple wavelength ? scales with line width w for sufficiently long gratings, which is consistent with a simple theory. These trends were validated for polymer nanoline test patterns having w between (50 to 250) nm and a height-to-width aspect-ratio in the range 0.5 to 5," wrote V.R. Tirumala and colleagues, Center for Nanoscale Materials.

  The researchers concluded: "Our results suggest that line geometry, rather than material properties, governs the onset of rippling and suggest simple rules for their control."

  Tirumala and colleagues published their study in Nano Letters (Geometric control of rippling in supported polymer nanolines. Nano Letters, 2012;12(3):1516-21).

  For more information, contact V.R. Tirumala, Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States.

  Keywords: City:Argonne, State:Illinois, Country:United States, Region:North and Central America, Mathematics.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Mathematics editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2012, VerticalNews Mathematics via VerticalNews.com.