title: Hybrid energy-minimization simulation of equilibrium droplet shapes on hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surfaces.
abstract: We have developed an efficient algorithm for simulating the equilibrium shape of a microdroplet placed on a flat substrate that has a fine, discontinuous, and arbitrarily shaped hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned surface. The method uses a hybrid energy-minimization technique that combines the direct search method to determine the droplet shape around solid/liquid contact lines with the gradient descent method for the other parts of the droplet surface. The method provides high-convergence at a low computational cost with sufficient mesh resolution, providing a useful tool for the optimal design of printed electronic devices.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan. matsui.hiroyuki@aist.go.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa