Small stable drops and crystals in supersaturated homogeneous and heterogeneous systems at positive specific linear free energy

Abstract

Existence during supersaturation of quasi-equilibrium clusters of atoms (molecules), conditionally called small stable drops and crystals, in homogeneous and heterogeneous phase formation is discussed. It is shown that these small stable drops can exist not only when the specific linear free energy (specific edge free energy λ, respectively line tension γ 1, is negative but also in cases when λ and γ t are positive. It is shown that small stable drops always exist when homogeneous and heterogeneous phase formation is thermodynamically possible; the sign of the line tension does not determine the possibility that a small stable drop can exist.