The evolution of the interface between 2 mutually insoluble metallic phases under the influence of a strong electric field was studied. A slight perturbation of the interface away from a planar form led to the appearance of a component of the electric field along the interface. This created a diffusion flux of individual atoms along the interface. This, in turn, led to an increase in the amplitude of the initial perturbation and therefore to interfacial instability. The process was expected to be controlled by interface diffusion in response to 3 driving forces. These were the electric field, the internal stresses (due to the accumulation or depletion of matter at the interface), and the interfacial curvature. The stress distribution along the interface was deduced from a self-consistent solution to the elastic problem. In order for the instability to occur, differences in the effective atomic charges, elastic moduli and/or atomic mobilities of the constituent metals were required. Small sinusoidal corrugations were shown to grow with time for a range of wavelengths. The corrugations could grow monotonically, or vary in an oscillatory manner, depending upon their wavelength.

L.Klinger, L.Levin, D.Srolovitz: Journal of Applied Physics, 1996, 79[9], 6834-9