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Thin-film condensation processes

S. A. Kukushkin, A. V. Osipov

Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg

Abstract: The status of knowledge of phase nucleation and growth processes on a solid surface in one- and multicomponent systems is surveyed. The formation kinetics and subsequent evolution of new phase islands are investigated. Models for film growth from the vapor and solution-melt are analyzed which include island distribution by size, the degree of coalescence, island orientation, morphological stability, etc. The Ostwald ripening of the ensembles of multicomponent islands of a new phase is considered for both the isothermal and non-isothermal cases and nonlinear effects involved in the growth of continuous structures are examined. The problem of controllable growth of new phase layers is discussed.

PACS: 68.35.-p, 68.18.+p, 68.15.+e, 81.15.-z

Received: December 31, 1998

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0168.199810b.1083

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 1998, 41:10, 983–1014

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