Solid-state dewetting of polycrystalline thin films: a phase field approach

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 grand-potential 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.