Surface Instability of a Semi-Infinite Elastic Body Under Surface van der Waals Forces

摘要

It is shown that the surface of a semi-infinite linear elastic body attracted by a rigid flat through van der Waals-like forces is always unstable. The wavelength of the surface wrinkling is finite and decreases with the van der Waals interaction coefficient. In particular, this result implies that the deformation field of the semi-infinite linear elastic body attracted by a rigid flat cannot be determined uniquely.