Taxonomy of nucleation and growth processes in isotropic systems

摘要

We construct a taxonomy of transient behavior for one component coupled nucleation and growth based on linear and nonlinear stability analysis of a two species model. The two species are the condensable species and the condensed droplets or particles, respectively. Our model reproduces previously reported asymptotically stable and oscillatory transient nucleation behavior. Additionally, we show previously unreported possibilities of multiple stationary states and combinations of stationary states with limit cycles. We predict that multiple stationary states may be observed under near critical conditions. Estimates of suitable conditions for experimental verification are given for several systems of interest. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.