The influence of clustering on the anisotropy of the solid/liquid interfacial free energy

Abstract

It is proposed that roughening models of the solid/liquid interface in pure systems should be modified to require a minimum degree of clustering among solid states and among liquid states. An approximate treatment is developed in terms of a minimum cluster size and applied as an amendment to the Temkin treatment. The effect on the anisotropy of the interfacial free energy is presented as a function of the entropy of melting of the substance, the minimum cluster size, and the interface orientation parameters. It is concluded that roughening effects eliminate cusps in the γ plot for planes of comparatively high Miller indices and enshallow the cusps of planes of low Miller indices.