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Article history: Spin coating is the most commonly used method in industries to form coating films of desired thickness
Received 7 May 2015 and functionality. In case of two-layer spin coating process, stratified layers of two immiscible liquids
Revised 19 January 2016
are deposited onto the substrate simultaneously, which spread and thin to form two-layer coating film
Accepted 11 March 2016
of finite thickness. Questions concerning the effect of surface/interfacial tension on uniformity of these
Available online 19 March 2016
films and contact line evolution are relevant and need thorough investigation. Therefore, an axisymmetric
Keywords: model governing the flow of two-layer spin coating process is developed here. Liquids used for the study
Axisymmetric flow are assumed to be Newtonian and fully wetting. The contact line singularity is resolved using a precur-
Mathematical modeling sor layer model and the governing equations are simplified using lubrication approximation. A Galerkin
Multi-layer coating finite-element method (G/FEM) based scheme is developed to solve the resulting fourth order non-linear
Precursor layer model PDEs. Simulation results reveal that the fluid properties like ratio of the viscosity of upper layer fluid
Thin-film flow
to lower layer and ratio of the upper gas-liquid surface tension to inner liquid-liquid interfacial tension
Two-layer spin coating
have profound impact on the time evolution of the film profile, contact radius and shape of the capillary
ridges. It is observed that a uniform two-layer film surrounded by thin single layer film is formed when
the viscosity ratio is small. On the contrary, when viscosity ratio is large, a thin two-layer film surrounded
by bulky capillary ridges is formed. Similarly, the results also show that sharpness of capillary ridge in-
creases with decrease in the surface tension ratio. Further, it is found that increase in the precursor layer
thickness increases the spreading rate, thereby making the film more uniform. Finally, the uniformity of
the final two-layer film does not get affected by the initial volume of fluid present in the upper layer.
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2016.03.016
0045-7930/© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189 181
considered the flow away from the contact line and ignored the
role of capillary force. Since this early work, several authors have
studied spin coating flow to examine the effects of capillary forces
[7,8], non-Newtonian fluid behavior [9,10], solvent evaporation [11],
surface roughness [12] etc. on spreading and thinning of a single-
layer thin film.
Unlike the single-layer coating, spin coating process for deposit-
ing multiple layers of liquid on a flat substrate has received lesser
attention in the literature. Two-layer film flow on a rotating disc
was first studied theoretically by Sisoev and Shkadov [13]. Re-
cently, McIntyre and Brush [14] used lubrication theory to inves-
tigate the spin coating flow of two immiscible vertically stratified Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of two-layer thin-film flow on a spinning disc. Dimen-
Newtonian thin films. Their study focused on examining the inter- sional notations are used. The precursor layer thicknesses are greatly exaggerated.
facial instabilities associated with the liquid-air and liquid-liquid
interfaces present in the thin two-layered film. In their investiga-
tion, effects of viscous forces and condensation/evaporation of the 2.1. Mathematical formulation
upper layer was considered to study the spreading and thinning of
the film. It was observed that the disturbances in any of the layer The system under consideration consists of two incompressible
thicknesses affect the uniformity of the other, however, the distur- and immiscible Newtonian fluids; fluid I having density ρ˜1 , sur-
bances to the lower layer thickness have greater effect on the up- face tension σ˜ 1 , and dynamic viscosity η˜ 1 , and fluid II having den-
per layer thickness as compared to vice-versa. More recently, Dan- sity ρ˜2 , surface tension σ˜ 2 , and dynamic viscosity η˜ 2 , respectively.
dapat and Singh [15] have established the role played by viscosity, The layer of fluid II is placed on the layer of fluid I and both are
initial film thickness and density ratio (of the layered fluids) on fi- placed on a disc which is rotating with a constant angular veloc-
nal film thickness for large Reynolds number at long times. In a ity ω˜ as shown in Fig. 1. The layer of fluid II is surrounded by
recent article by Dandapat and Singh [16], they have analytically air which is at a constant ambient pressure but exerts no shear
presented long-time solution for an unsteady two-layer liquid film stress on the fluid-air interface. Throughout this paper, the dimen-
flow on a horizontal rotating disc, and explained the findings phys- sional variables have tilde, (˜. ), over them whereas the correspond-
ically for small Reynolds number. It was observed that the final ing dimensionless variables are denoted without tilde, (.) and vec-
film thickness attains an asymptotic value after a long time dura- tor quantities are represented in bold italics. Hereafter, the layer of
tion. They have also established that viscous force dominates over fluid present in fluid II is referred to as upper layer, and fluid I is
centrifugal force and upper layer thins faster than lower layer at referred to as lower layer. For mathematical convenience, we use
long times. the cylindrical coordinate system (r˜, θ˜ , z˜) as shown in the Fig. 1.
Similar to the single-layer spin coating process, in two-layer Since the flow is axisymmetric, at any point along the radial direc-
spin coating process each of the fluid layers spread to form thin tion, the shape of the liquid-liquid interface and the liquid-air in-
flat film at the center and a capillary ridge at the respective outer terface are denoted by z˜ = h ˜ (1 ) (r˜, t˜), and z˜ = h
˜ (2 ) (r˜, t˜), respectively
boundary. The formation of multiple capillary ridges affects the (see Fig. 1). The isothermal flow of fluid in each of the layers is
uniformity of the final film and can lead to significant loss of the governed by Navier–Stokes equation and continuity equation:
coating liquids. The uniformity of the film depend upon numerous ∂ u˜ (i)
(i ) (i )
process parameters such as disc rotation speed and initial volume ρ˜i ˜ .∇
+u ˜u˜ = −∇˜ P˜(i ) + η˜i ∇ ˜ (i )
˜ 2u
of the respective fluids. Furthermore, ratios of the physical prop- ∂ t˜
erties of the layered fluids significantly affect the evolution of film −ρ˜i [2ω ˜ (i ) + ω
˜ ×u ˜ × (ω
˜ × r˜ ) + g˜ ], (1)
profiles. All the studies for two-layer spin coating process reported
so far examined the effect of interfacial instabilities on the final
film profile. However, the effect of surface tension on the unifor- ∇˜ .u˜ (i) = 0, (2)
mity of the film and the formation of capillary ridges has not been where u ˜ (i ) = (u˜ (i ) , 0, v˜ (i ) ) is the velocity of the fluid in the ith
studied yet. layer, ω
˜ is the angular velocity and g˜ is the gravity vector point-
The objective of this paper is to carry out a detailed numeri- ing downwards as shown in the Fig. 1. On the right hand side of
cal investigation of the two-layer spin coating process with a fo- Eq. (1), the third term represents the Coriolis force and the fourth
cus on the formation of capillary ridges close to the two con- term represents the centrifugal force. The above equations are non-
tact lines. The paper is organized as follows. In Section 2, an ax- dimensionalized with appropriate scales as follows: disc radius, R0
isymmetric (1D) model governing the two-layer spin coating flow is the length scale in the radial direction; initial mean film thick-
is developed using lubrication approximation. The singularity of ness, H0 is the length scale in the vertical direction; U0 is the ve-
the contact line is relieved by assuming a precursor-layer model. locity scale in the radial direction; V0 is the velocity scale in the
Subsequently, the details of numerical method developed to solve vertical direction, and P0 is the scale for pressure. The scale for
the governing equations are provided. Following that, code is val- density and viscosity are ρ 0 and η0 , respectively, which for conve-
idated using results reported in existing literature. In Section 3, nience are taken to be the parameters of one of the layer fluids.
simulation results are presented and discussed in detail. Lastly, Since, the flow is axisymmetric, the terms in the radial-direction
Section 4 is devoted to the conclusions. momentum balance equation that involve azimuthal velocity are
negligible [10]. Moreover, the momentum balance equation in az-
2. Axisymmetric model imuthal direction is neglected. The non-dimensional form of the
above equations in the relevant directions are:
This section describes the formulation of the governing equa-
∂ u (i ) ∂ P (i ) ∂ 1 ∂ (ru )
tions describing the axisymmetric flow of two-layer thin film on
.Re + u ( i ) .∇ u ( i ) =− + 2 ηi
a rotating disc. The axisymmetric model of spin coating flow as- ∂t ∂r ∂r r ∂r
sumes that the height of the free surface varies only with the ra- ∂ u 2 (i )
dial distance r and is independent of the transverse direction. + ηi + r, (3)
∂ z2
182 S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189
u(1) and u(2) are obtained by integrating Eqs. (6) and (7) for both
∂v(i) ∂ P (i )
∂ v 2 (i ) the layers and applying boundary conditions given by Eqs. (9)–(14).
3 .Re + u(i ) .∇v(i ) = − + 2 ηi Integrating the continuity equation (Eq. (8)) for both the layers
∂t ∂z ∂ z2
1 ∂ ∂v and using the kinematic condition gives the usual mass balance as
+ 4 ηi r − B + O ( 2 ), (4)
r ∂r ∂r ∂ h(1) 1 ∂ (rQ (1) )
+ = 0, (15)
1 ∂ (ru(i ) ) ∂v(i) ∂t r ∂r
+ = 0, (5)
r ∂r ∂z ∂ h(2) 1 ∂ (r[Q (1) + Q (2) ] )
+ = 0, (16)
where ηi = η˜ i /η0 , and ρi = ρ˜i /ρ0 are the dimensionless viscos- ∂t r ∂r
ity and density, respectively. The velocities in the radial and ver-
where
tical directions are u˜ (i ) and v˜ (i ) , respectively. Re = ρ0U0 H0 /η0 is
h (1 ) h (2 )
the Reynolds number, B = ρ0 gH03 /η0 R0U0 is the Bond number, and
Q (1 ) = u(1) dz and Q (2) = u(2) dz, (17)
= H0 /R0 is the aspect ratio. In each of the layers, flow is governed 0 h (1 )
by the balance between the centrifugal force and the viscous force are the fluxes in radial direction across the layer of fluid I and
that gives the radial velocity scale as U0 = ρ0 ω2 R0 H02 /η0 , and the fluid II, respectively. Substituting the value of Q(1) and Q(2) in Eqs.
vertical velocity scale as V0 = U0 H0 /R0 . Here, ∇ = R0 .∇ ˜ is the di- (15) and (16), and, defining hˆ 1 = h(1 ) and hˆ 2 = h(2 ) − h(1 ) , so that
mensionless gradient operator. The pressure scale is P0 = ρ0 ω2 R20 , hˆ i represents the thickness of the ith layer, the two equations de-
and the time scale is T = R0 /U0 . scribing the time evolution of the two layer thicknesses with re-
The Reynolds number associated with the flow is assumed to spect to spatial coordinate r are obtained as
be very small so that inertial effects are negligible. It has been
shown previously [17] that coriolis force drives the flow in az- ∂ hˆ 1 1 ∂ hˆ31 ∂ ∂
+ r σˆ C (∇ 2 [hˆ1 + hˆ2 ] ) + C (∇ 2 hˆ1 ) + r
imuthal direction and is negligible for the axisymmetric flow con- ∂t r ∂r 3 ∂r ∂r
sidered here. Moreover, we assume that the film height is small ∂ hˆ 2 hˆ
+ σˆ C (∇ 2 [hˆ1 + hˆ2 ] ) + ρˆ r 1
2
and the gravitational effects are negligible (B ≈ 0). The spreading = 0, (18)
film is sufficiently thin that allows use of the standard lubrication ∂r 2
assumptions: 1 and Re. 1. A more general discussion on
the lubrication theory for n-layer thin film flow with applications ∂ hˆ 2 1 ∂ hˆ 21 hˆ 2 ∂ ∂
+ r σˆ C (∇ 2 [hˆ1 + hˆ2 ] ) + C (∇ 2 hˆ1 ) + r
to multilayer coating can be found in Anturkar et al. [18]. Using ∂t r ∂r 2 ∂r ∂r
lubrication assumption, Eqs. (3)-(5) are simplified as: ∂ hˆ3
∂ P (i ) ∂ 2 u (i ) + σˆ C (∇ 2 [hˆ1 + hˆ2 ] ) + ρˆ r 2
+ hˆ 1 hˆ 22 = 0, (19)
0=− + ηi + r, (6) ∂r 3ηˆ
∂r ∂ z2
where, σˆ = σ2 /σ1 , ηˆ = η2 /η1 , ρˆ = ρ2 /ρ1 , and C = 3 σ1 /η1U0 . Eq.
∂ P (i ) (18) determines the film thickness hˆ 1 (r, t ) of the lower layer while
0=− − B, (7)
∂z Eq. (19) determines the film thickness hˆ 2 (r, t ) of the upper layer.
Both the governing equations are fourth order non-linear PDEs
1 ∂ (ru(i ) ) ∂v(i) which are subjected to the following initial and boundary condi-
0= + . (8)
r ∂r ∂z tions:
These equations are subjected to the following boundary condi- hˆ 1 = hˆ 10 (r ) and hˆ 2 = hˆ 20 (r ) at t = 0, (20)
tions:
hˆ 1r = 0 and hˆ 2r = 0 at r = 0, (21)
u(1) = 0 at z = 0, (9)
hˆ 1rrr = 0 and hˆ 2rrr = 0 at r = 0, (22)
hˆ 1 = b1 at r = R1 (t ) and hˆ 2 = b2 at r = R2 (t ), (23)
u(1) = u(2) at z = h(1) (r, t ), (10)
hˆ 1r = 0 at r = R1 (t ) and hˆ 2r = 0 at r = R2 (t ). (24)
∂ u (1 ) ∂ u (2 ) Eq. (20) represents the initial conditions, i.e., the surface profiles
η1 = η2 at z = h(1) (r, t ), (11)
∂z ∂z hˆ 10 (r ), and hˆ 20 (r ) at t = 0 are known. Eq. (21) maintains the uni-
formity of the film at the center and Eq. (22) ensures that no flux
∂ u (2 ) is added to the system at that point. Eq. (23) represents that the
= 0 at z = h(2) (r, t ), (12)
∂z films hˆ 1 (r ), and hˆ 2 (r ) touch the precursor layer of height b1 and
b2 , respectively. Here, R1 (t) and R2 (t) are the contact radius for the
P (1) = p0 − C1 ∇ 2 h(1) − C2 ∇ 2 h(2) at z = h(1) (r, t ), (13) lower and upper layer, respectively. Eq. (24) enforces that the film
thicknesses touch the respective precursor layer by decaying the
derivatives at that point. A similar derivation but taking into ac-
P (2) = p0 − C2 ∇ 2 h(2) at z = h(2) (r, t ), (14)
count the additional effect of van der Waals force and evapora-
where Ci = 3 σi /η0U0
is the inverse Capillary number, p0 is the at- tion/condensation can be found in McIntyre and Brush [14].
mospheric pressure, and ∇ 2 = 1r ∂∂r (r ∂∂r ). Eq. (9) represents the no-
slip condition at the planar substrate. Eqs. (10) and (11) represent 2.2. Numerical method
the continuity of velocity and tangential stress at liquid-liquid in-
terface, respectively. Eq. (12) represents the zero tangential stress The governing equations (see Eqs. (18) and (19)) are solved nu-
at the liquid-air interface, and Eqs. (13) and (14) represent the nor- merically by a method of lines that uses the Galerkin/finite ele-
mal stress condition that incorporates the surface tension force at ment method (G/FEM) [19] for spatial discretization and an adap-
the respective surface. tive finite difference method for discretization in time [20]. In or-
From here on wards, the scales ρ0 = ρ1 , and η0 = η1 are chosen der to achieve high accuracy, quadratic basis functions φ i (r) are
to be the properties of the lower layer fluid. The radial velocities used to approximate the unknowns hˆ 1 , hˆ 2 and r. The unknowns
S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189 183
all the profiles are obtained using a density ratio ρ2 /ρ1 = 1 and
h -h
1
(2)
Fig. 3. Film thickness profiles for three different viscosity ratios (a) 0.1, (b) 1, and (c) 10, for the lower layer (left) and upper layer (right). The profiles are computed for
σ2 /σ1 = 1, C = 2.7 × 10−2 and b1 = b2 = 0.01.
0.8 0.8
a d
0.6 0.6
h
0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
0.8 0.8
b e
0.6 0.6
h
0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
0.8 0.8
c f
0.6 0.6
h
0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
r r
Fig. 4. Film thickness profiles for three different viscosity ratios (a) 0.1, (b) 1, and (c) 10, respectively, computed at t = 15 and the corresponding streamline patterns (d)–(f).
The profiles are computed for σ2 /σ1 = 1 , C = 2.7 × 10−2 and b1 = b2 = 0.01.
is formed which is surrounded by bulky capillary ridges at the viscosity ratios studied. However, the upper layer fluid shows inter-
contact line as described in the previous section. Moreover, the esting flow structures in the capillary ridge region. For η2 /η1 = 0.1,
streamline patterns for both the layers are illustrated in Fig. 4(d–f), the upper layer fluid surrounding the lower layer simply flows in
which explain the observed shape of the capillary ridges for both radially outward direction. For η2 /η1 = 1, the upper layer fluid just
the layers. It shows that the lower layer fluid moves in the radi- above the lower layer ridge, move in the upward direction, thereby
ally outward direction due to the applied driving force for all the accumulating the fluid in the ridge of the upper layer. This upward
S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189 185
2.5 1
Contact Radius (R 1) η2 / η1 a 2 1
0.4
1
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 0.2
Time (t)
4 0
η2/ η1 b 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Time (t)
Contact Radius (R 2)
3.5 0.1
1
10
3 Fig. 6. Numerically calculated values of the film thickness at the center h(1) and
h(2) − h(1) for the lower (solid lines) and upper layer (dotted lines), respectively,
2.5 plotted as a function of time, for three different viscosity ratios. Here, σ2 /σ1 = 1,
b1 = b2 = 0.01 and C = 2.7 × 10−2 .
2
1.5
per layer becomes increasingly more important with the decreas-
1 ing film thickness. Therefore, shear stress applied by the fluid in
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Time (t) the upper layer slows down the evacuation of fluid from the lower
layer resulting in the crossover. However, for η2 /η1 = 1 both the
Fig. 5. Numerically calculated values of (a) R1 (t) and (b) R2 (t) for lower and upper
layer, respectively, plotted as a function of time, for three different viscosity ratios.
liquids spread together due to equal viscosity and continue to thin
Here, σ2 /σ1 = 1, b1 = b2 = 0.01 and C = 2.7 × 10−2 . at the same rate even after the crossover.
Fig. 7. Film thickness profiles for three different ratios of interfacial tension (a)0.1, (b)1, and (c)10, respectively, for the lower (left) and upper layer (right). The profiles are
computed for η2 /η1 = 1, C = 2.7 × 10−2 and b1 = b2 = 0.01.
0.6 0.6
a d
0.4 0.4
h
0.2 0.2
-2 -1 0 1 2 -2 -1 0 1 2
0.6 0.6
b e
0.4 0.4
h
0.2 0.2
-2 -1 0 1 2 -2 -1 0 1 2
0.6 0.6
c f
0.4 0.4
h
0.2 0.2
-2 -1 0 1 2 -2 -1 0 1 2
r r
Fig. 8. Film thickness profiles for three different ratios of interfacial tension σ2 /σ1 = (a )0.1, (b)1, and (c)10, respectively, for both the layers computed at t = 20 and the
corresponding streamlines (d)–(f). The profiles are computed for η2 /η1 = 1, C = 2.7 × 10−2 and b1 = b2 = 0.01.
driving force for all the interfacial tension ratios studied. How- 3.2.2. Contact line evolution
ever, the upper layer fluid for σ2 /σ1 = 0.1 shows an interesting Fig. 9 (a) clearly shows that the contact radius for the lower
flow structure in the capillary ridge region (see Fig. 8(d)). The fluid layer increases as the ratio of interfacial tension decreases. Fig. 9(b)
in the ridge near the contact line circulates back forming the sec- shows the evolution of contact radius for the upper layer. In con-
ond capillary ridge in between the two ridges formed in the upper trast to the lower layer, evolution of contact radius for the upper
layer. layer is much more interesting with the occurrence of multiple
S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189 187
0.1
1 Fig. 11 shows the snapshots of the film profile at t = 10 for
10
2.5 three different ratios of initial volume. It shows, when both the
fluids have same initial volume V2 = V1 , most of the liquid material
2 is used in forming a two-layer film. If the initial volume of upper
layer fluid increases V2 = 2V1 , then the extra added fluid in upper
1.5 layer is wasted in forming a large single-layered film and produces
a small two-layer film. The trend is maintained on increasing the
1 volume further V2 = 3V1 , as shown in Fig. 11. The above analysis
20 40 60
Time (t) dictates that a proper balance of initial volume is required to form
a large two-layer film with minimum loss of the material of fluids
Fig. 9. Numerically calculated values of (a) R1 (t) and (b) R2 (t) for lower and upper in either layer.
layer, respectively, plotted as a function of time, for three different ratios of interfa-
cial tension. Here, η2 /η1 = 1, b1 = b2 = 0.01 and C = 2.7 × 10−2 .
4. Conclusion
crossovers. The first crossover occurs between the contact radii for In this paper, a systematic study of the two-layer spin coating
σ2 /σ1 = 0.1 and 1 at t = 4.5, and the reason for this crossover is process was carried out using numerical simulations. The study
explained as follows. Initially, for σ2 /σ1 = 0.1 most of the fluid ac- was focused on observing the effect of fluid property ratios and
cumulate in the capillary ridge region and the contact line does process parameters on the time evolution of film profile and cap-
not move significantly. The bulky capillary ridge then experiences a illary ridge formation. The axisymmetric 1D model equations gov-
large centrifugal force pushing the contact line to move outward at erning the flow were developed and solved numerically using the
a faster rate as compared to the case of σ2 /σ1 = 1. There are two G/FEM based approach. The singularity of the contact line was re-
other crossovers at t = 13 and t = 23.5 between the contact radii solved using a precursor layer model. The results reported include
for σ2 /σ1 = 0.1 and 10, and σ2 /σ1 = 1 and 10, respectively. Both the effects of viscosity ratio, interfacial tension ratio, precursor-
these crossovers occur because the upper layer for σ2 /σ1 = 10, layer thicknesses and initial volume ratio of the fluids present in
does not form a sharp capillary ridge. Consequently, the liquid in the two layers. All the ratios studied were defined as property of
the upper layer drains out very slowly resulting in slow spreading fluid II (upper layer) with respect to the property of fluid I (lower
of the film. layer).
It was observed that bulkiness of the capillary ridge increases
3.2.3. Film thickness at the center with an increase in the viscosity ratio. Also, the capillary ridge
The numerical simulation indicates that film thickness at the becomes sharper with the decrease in the interfacial tension ra-
center decays monotonically with time for all the interfacial ten- tio. However, the final two-layer film formed in the former case
sion ratios studied (figure not shown). For an initial period of time is small and non-uniform as compared to the later. Moreover, the
(i.e., t < 30), film thickness for both the layers decreases with a sharp capillary ridges so formed could affect the uniformity of the
decrease in the interfacial tension ratio. At long times, it decays two-layer film. Nevertheless, the results suggested that a uniform
asymptotically to attain the corresponding value of the precursor two-layer thin film can form when the fluid in the upper layer is
layer thickness for both the layers. less viscous or when the upper gas-liquid surface tension is more
than the inner liquid-liquid interfacial tension.
3.3. Effect of precursor layer thickness In addition to the above parameters, precursor layer thickness
and initial volume ratio were also found to have significant effect
3.3.1. Film thickness profiles on the uniformity of the two-layer film. It was observed that the
The influence of dimensionless precursor layer thicknesses b1 increase in the precursor layer thickness facilitated the film to be-
and b2 on the final two-layer film formed is investigated for three come uniform. It is important to note that the increase in the vol-
different values of thicknesses b1 = b2 = 0.001, 0.01 and 0.1, re- ume ratio did not affect the uniformity of the film, rather the extra
spectively, while the properties of the two fluids being the same. amount of fluid was used in forming either a bulky capillary ridge
Fig. 10 depicts the profile of two-layer film computed for the cases or a large single-layer film surrounding the two-layer film. There-
above. In a precursor layer model of contact line, it is assumed fore, operating the process with an equal volume of the fluids in
that the surface is already wetted with a small film of the same both the layers will produce a uniform two-layer coating film with
fluid. In essence, a high value of precursor layer thickness (b) im- minimal loss of the liquids.
plies high ability of the fluid to wet the surface. Fig. 10 shows Although this study was focused on Newtonian liquids, its
that the spreading rate of both the layers increases with the in- procedure and results may serve as a basis for extending the
crease in the thicknesses b1 and b2 . Fig. 10(c) corresponding to present model to study the two-layer spin coating process of non-
b1 = b2 = 0.1 shows the maximum spreading while Fig. 10(a) with Newtonian fluids such as polymer melts, emulsions and suspen-
188 S. Sahoo et al. / Computers and Fluids 131 (2016) 180–189
Fig. 10. Film thickness profiles for three different values of dimensionless precursor layer thicknesses b1 = b2 = 0.001(a ), 0.01(b), and 0.1(c) for the lower layer (left) and
upper layer (right). Here, C = 2.7 × 10−2 and fluids in both the layers have same physical properties.
1 Acknowledgments
a
This work was supported by grant from Department of Science
0.5
h
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 References
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b
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