Self-similar micron-size and nanosize drops of liquid generated by surface acoustic waves.

A planar surface acoustic wave on a solid substrate and its radiated sound into a static liquid drop produce time-averaged, exponentially decaying acoustic and electric Maxwell pressures near the contact line. These localized contact-line pressures are shown to generate two sequences of hemispherical satellite droplets at the tens of microns and submicron scales, both obeying self-similar exponential scaling but with distinct exponents that correspond to viscous dissipation and field leakage length scales, respectively. The acoustic pressure becomes dominant when the film thickness exceeds (1/4π) of the surface acoustic wave wavelength and it affects the shape and stability of the mother drop. The Maxwell pressure of the nanodrops, which exceeds ten atmospheres, is sensitive to the contact angle.