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Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
Stages of homogeneous nucleation in solid isotopic helium mixtures
1Millikelvin Laboratory, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
We have made pressure and NMR measurements during the evolution of phase separation in solid helium isotopic mixtures. Our observations indicate clearly all three stages of the homogeneous nucleation-growth process: (1) creation of nucleation sites; (2) growth of the new-phase component at these nucleation sites; and (3) coarsening: the dissolution of subcritical droplets with the consequent further late-stage growth of the supercritical droplets. The time exponent for the coarsening, a=1/3, is consistent with the conserved order parameter Lifshitz-Slezov evaporation-condensation mechanism.
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