Dynamical mechanism for the formation of metastable phases

John Bechhoefer, Hartmut Löwen, and Laurette S. Tuckerman
Phys. Rev. Lett. 67, 1266 – Published 2 September 1991
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Abstract

Rapid temperature quenches have long been known to produce metastable thermodynamic phases. We study Landau-Ginzburg models of phase transitions for free energies having three local minima and show that metastable phases can be formed via a dynamic instability that splits the front separating the stable high- and low-temperature phases. Even though quenching may nucleate the stable phase, the splitting instability we discuss will favor the formation of the metastable phase.

  • Received 21 March 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.67.1266

©1991 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

John Bechhoefer, Hartmut Löwen, and Laurette S. Tuckerman

  • Laboratoire de Physique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 69364 Lyon CEDEX 07, France

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Issue

Vol. 67, Iss. 10 — 2 September 1991

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