Morphological instabilities of stressed axi-symmetrical structures embedded in a matrix: volume diffusion approach Original Research Article

The morphological evolution of an epitaxially stressed precipitate embedded in an infinite size matrix has been studied when vacancies are assumed to diffuse through the matrix/precipitate interface. The linear stability of the surface has been first investigated in front of longitudinal fluctuations and the influence of epitaxial stress has been characterized onto the development of the roughness already observed when the structure is traction-free. This linear analysis has been then extended to the case of radial perturbations of the interface. It has been observed that the interface, assumed to be stable when the cylinder is traction-free, becomes unstable when the stress is considered.