Nucleation theory in Langevin's approach and lifetime of a Brownian particle in potential wells.
The multivariable theory of nucleation suggested by Alekseechkin [J. Chem. Phys. 124, 124512 (2006)] is further developed in the context of Langevin's approach. The use of this approach essentially enhances the capability of the nucleation theory, because it makes possible to consider the cases of small friction which are not taken into account by the classical Zel'dovich-Frenkel theory and its multivariable extensions. The procedure for the phenomenological determination of the nucleation parameters is described. Using the similarity of the Kramers model with that of nucleation, the lifetime of a Brownian particle in potential wells in various dimensionalities is calculated with the help of the expression for the steady state nucleation rate.
Alekseechkin
N V
NV
Akhiezer Institute for Theoretical Physics, National Science Centre Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology, Akademicheskaya Street 1, Kharkov 61108, Ukraine. n.alex@kipt.kharkov.ua