Pinning of a solid-liquid-vapor interface by stripes of obstacles

We use a macroscopic Hamiltonian approach to study the pinning of a solid-liquid-vapor contact line on an array of equidistant stripes of obstacles perpendicular to the liquid. We propose an estimate of the density of pinning stripes for which collective pinning of the contact line happens. This estimate is shown to be in good agreement with Langevin equation simulation of the macroscopic Hamiltonian. Finally we introduce a two-dimensional mean field theory that for small strength of the pinning stripes and for small capillary length gives an excellent description of the averaged height of the contact line. © 1996 The American Physical Society.