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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2025

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Published on: June 7, 2018

Crystal Nucleation in Supercooled Atomic Liquids.

Johannes Möller¹, Alexander Schottelius², Michele Caresana²

¹European X-ray Free-Electron Laser Facility, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany.

Physical Review Letters

|June 3, 2024

Summary

Investigating crystal nucleation in supercooled liquids using ultrafast X-ray diffraction reveals limitations of classical nucleation theory for atomic systems. This study provides new avenues for exploring nonclassical nucleation theories.

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Area of Science:

Physical Chemistry
Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

Liquid-to-solid phase transitions are complex and challenging to study experimentally at high resolution.
Crystal nucleation in supercooled liquids involves forming critical seeds of the crystalline phase.
Classical nucleation theory (CNT) describes this stochastic process but requires experimental validation in atomic liquids.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally investigate crystal nucleation in supercooled atomic liquids.
To test the validity of classical nucleation theory in atomic systems.
To explore possibilities for testing nonclassical extensions of nucleation theory.

Main Methods:

Utilizing femtosecond X-ray diffraction for high temporal and spatial resolution.
Studying microscopic liquid jets of supercooled rare gases (argon and krypton).

Main Results:

Provided stringent experimental limits on the validity of classical nucleation theory for atomic liquids.
Observed crystal nucleation in supercooled argon and krypton.

Conclusions:

Classical nucleation theory's applicability is limited in atomic liquids.
The study opens opportunities for validating nonclassical nucleation theories.
Femtosecond X-ray diffraction is a powerful tool for studying nucleation dynamics.