A lab mistake led to self-forming spiral patterns on metal surfaces, revealing chemical-mechanical interactions.

“The thickness of the metal layer, the initial state of mechanical stress of the sample, and the composition of the etching solution all play a role in determining the type of pattern that ...

UCLA doctoral student Yilin Wong left a sample out by mistake. It was a small chip made of germanium, topped with thin layers of metal, and had a drop of water on it. The next day, she noticed tiny ...

More information: Yilin Wong et al, Metal-assisted chemical etching patterns at a Ge/Cr/Au interface modulated by the Euler instability, Physical Review Materials (2025). DOI: 10.1103 ...

"The thickness of the metal layer, the initial state of mechanical stress of the sample, and the composition of the etching solution all play a role in determining the type of pattern that ...