Driven drops on heterogeneous substrates: onset of sliding motion.

Thiele U, Knobloch E

Abstract

Pinning and depinning of driven drops on heterogeneous substrates is studied as a function of the driving and heterogeneity amplitude. Two types of heterogeneity are considered: a "hydrophobic" defect that blocks the drop in front and a "hydrophilic" one that holds it at the back. Two different types of depinning leading to sliding motion are identified, and the resulting stick-slip motion is studied numerically.