An Equation for Melting and Freezing Transition Rates

Abstract

AbstractStatistical thermodynamics is used to derive the reaction rate for melting and freezing by considering an atomically sharp interface with or without an activated intermediate state. The resulting predictions differ substantially from those of the classical kinetic rate theory at large deviations from equilibrium. The model may be appropriate for the analysis of pulsed laser melting experiments where large deviations are expected.