On self-similar solutions to the surface diffusion flow equations with contact angle boundary conditions (Q2255310)

Summary: We consider the surface diffusion flow equation when the curve is given as the graph of a function \(v(x,t)\) defined in a half line \(\mathbf R^+=\{x>0\}\) under the boundary conditions \(v_x=\tan \beta >0\) and \(v_{xxx}=0\) at \(x=0\). We construct a unique (spatially bounded) self-similar solution when the angle \(\beta \) is sufficiently small. We further prove the stability of this self-similar solution. The problem stems from an equation proposed by \textit{W. W. Mullins} [``Theory of thermal grooving'', J. Appl. Phys. 28, 333--339 (1957; \url{doi:10.1063/1.1722742})] to model formation of surface grooves on the grain boundaries, where the second boundary condition \(v_{xxx}=0\) is replaced by zero slope condition on the curvature of the graph. For construction of a self-similar solution we solve the initial-boundary problem with homogeneous initial data. However, since the problem is quasilinear and initial data is not compatible with the boundary condition a simple application of an abstract theory for quasilinear parabolic equation is not enough for our purpose. We use a semi-divergence structure to construct a solution.