Brun, P.-T.Nagel, MathiasGallaire, Francois2013-12-092013-12-092013-12-09201310.1103/PhysRevE.88.043009https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/97704WOS:000326117300010In two-phase microfluidics, droplets often undergo deformations that drive them away from their circular equilibrium shape. Herein we concentrate on the relaxation of symmetrical deformations to a circle driven by surface tension effects, which are predominant at the micrometer scales. Working in a Hele-Shaw cell, we report a generic pathway for these types of relaxations. We simulate numerically the interface shape evolution and investigate it using linear stability analysis. Finally, we characterize this universal aspect of relaxation using a purely geometrical model that is tested in experiments.text::journal::journal article::research article