The study of ultra-thin polymer nanofilms is a rich and productive field for applied mathematics, fundamental physics, physiology and engineering. It has been enlightened by the recent results on dewetting, nanoindentation, electrostatic instabilities and micro-bubbles. We report here on a novel and simple technique based on capillary leveling of a thin polystyrene stepped lm far above the glass transition temperature [1]. We present as well the analytical [2] and numerical [3] tools that allow one to precisely understand the experimental proles in various conditions. In particular, we study the self-similar intermediate asymptotics of the solutions and we describe how they provide a direct and accurate viscosity probe for polymer materials and viscous flows in general. Finally, we show how those solutions can give quantitative insights on fundamental questions such as : the effect of confinement on the macromolecular mobility, the slip condition at the substrate in hydrodynamics, the spreading of a droplet onto a precursor lm [4], or the evolution of the supercial mobility through the glass transition.

[1] McGraw, Salez, Baumchen, Raphaël, Dalnoki-Veress, PRL 109 128303 (2012)
[2] Salez, McGraw, Baumchen, Dalnoki-Veress, Raphaël, PoF in press (2012)
[3] Salez, McGraw, Cormier, Baumchen, Dalnoki-Veress, Raphaël, EPJE in press (2012)
[4] Cormier, McGraw, Salez, Baumchen, Raphaël, Dalnoki-Veress, PRL 109 154501 (2012)