Stages of Homogeneous Nucleation in Solid Isotopic Helium Mixtures

Abstract

We have made pressure and NMR measurements during the evolution of phase separation in solid helium isotopic mixtures. Our observations indicate clearly all three stages of the homogeneous nucleation-growth process: (1) creation of nucleation sites; (2) growth of the new-phase component at these nucleation sites; and (3) coarsening: the dissolution of subcritical droplets with the consequent further late-stage growth of the supercritical droplets. The time exponent for the coarsening, a=1/3, is consistent with the conserved order parameter Lifshitz-Slezov evaporation-condensation mechanism.