Crystal nucleation in the one-component plasma.
We have performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the kinetics of crystal nucleation in the one-component plasma. We have monitored nucleation in the supercooled liquid phase by following the time evolution of the size distribution of crystal nuclei formed during the phase transition. Although several observations are consistent with classical nucleation theory such as transient effects and the existence of a free-energy barrier to crystallization, we could not unambiguously identify a critical size for the crystal nuclei formed within the metastable phase.
Daligault
Jérôme
J
Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico 87545, USA. daligault@lanl.gov