Phase field modeling of phase transitions stimulated by Joule heating

•Modeling of phase front propagation driven by Joule heating.•Comparison of sharp interface and phase field modeling.•Phase field modeling of front stability.•Filament propagation between conducting electrodes.

We study the motion of a planar thermal wave, which is simultaneously a phase boundary in a thin cooled film, driven by the application of an electrical current and Joule heating. Based on theoretical modeling by Brener and Temkin (1996) [1] we employ a phase field model that reproduces the analytical predictions for planar front propagation and interface stability. Three-dimensional simulations of the growth of a filament advancing from one electrode to the other demonstrate the applicability of the model towards more complex geometries and problems originating from the microstructure formation in phase change materials.