Interface Structure and Growth Kinetics

Implicit in our discussions of solid–liquid interfaces are the related concepts of local equilibrium and molecular accommodation. The former was carefully detailed in several earlier chapters, whereas the latter, thus far, has not been explored critically. Chalmers has discussed molecular accommodation at solid–liquid interfaces, and describes the relative ease of individual and small groups of atoms or molecules making energetic and configurational transitions between the crystalline and molten phases [1].