Dynamic structure formation at the fronts of volatile liquid drops

We report on instabilities during the spreading of volatile liquids, with emphasis on the novel instability observed when isopropyl alcohol is deposited on a monocrystalline Si wafer. This instability is characterized by emission of drops ahead of the expanding front, with each drop followed by smaller, satellite droplets, forming the structures which we nickname "octopi" due to their appearance. A less volatile liquid, or a substrate of larger heat conductivity, suppresses this instability. We formulate a theoretical model that reproduces the main features of the experiment.