Open questions and promising new fields in dewetting

This contribution summarizes the present understanding of dewetting focusing on three points that are either controversial or open. The first issue concerns the initial formation of holes, i.e. the film rupture. The second point concerns the unstable growth of holes, i.e. the transversal instability of the receding contact line. Finally, recent extensions towards dewetting on heterogeneous substrates are examined. In passing the long time evolution in dewetting and the coupling of dewetting with other effects are discussed.Received: 1 August 2003PACS: 68.15. + e Liquid thin films - 68.55.-a Thin film structure and morphology - 47.20.Ma Interfacial instability