SELECTION OF STATES AND FLUCTUATION UNDER THE FIRST ORDER PHASE TRANSITIONS

Abstract

A unified approach is proposed which provides both microscopic and phenomenological description of the first-order phase transition accompanied by the formation of thermodynamically stable bubbles of the new phase. A procedure is proposed for selecting the probable states whose contribution in the thermodynamic behavior of the system is dominant. This technique makes it possible to take into account fluctuation of any scales and to obtain a closed expression for the parameters of the new phase formation, in particular its dimensions, lifetime and time of relaxation towards a thermodynamically stable state. The feasibility of experimental observation the parameters dependence of the new phase bubble on the governing quantities is discussed.