Heterophasic oscillations in nanometer-size systems

TL;DR

This paper explores how small systems exhibit random heterophasic oscillations due to decreased energy barriers, leading to observable phase transitions that differ from macroscopic discontinuous changes.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of heterophasic oscillations in nanometer-sized systems and analyzes the mechanisms and conditions under which these phase transitions occur.

Findings

Heterophasic oscillations become observable in small systems.

Energy barriers decrease with particle number, enabling phase fluctuations.

Oscillatory nucleation can occur under certain conditions.

Abstract

Singularities in macroscopic systems at discontinuous phase transitions are replaced in finite systems by sharp but continuous changes. Both the energy differences between metastable and stable phases and the energy barriers separating these phases decrease with decreasing particle number. Then, for small enough systems, random heterophasic oscillations of the entire system become an observable form of thermal motion. Under certain conditions, these oscillations take the form of oscillatory nucleation. We discuss mechanisms and observation conditions for these random transitions between phases.