Glass and metals on crystalline oxides

Wetting and dewetting of liquid metals and glasses on ceramic substrates has been investigated using a combination of microscopy techniques. The influence of surface structure on dewetting behavior and the influence of the dewet droplets on the morphology of surface steps has been shown with the aid of experimental observations from many systems. The role of chemistry and kinetics on the wetting behavior has also been demonstrated. Finally, the possibility of exploiting reconstructed ceramic surfaces for nanopatterning of metal particles has been illustrated.