Homogeneous and heterogeneous mechanisms of superheated solid melting and decay

The kinetics of homogeneous nucleation in superheated solid and heterogeneous melting from the open crystal surface are investigated via molecular-dynamics method. The system under consideration is superheated copper in the EAM potential model. The temperature dependence of the lifetime of superheated crystal and the rate of homogeneous nucleation are calculated according to the previously developed approach. The temperature dependence of the melting front propagation velocity is calculated as well. The results on the homogeneous nucleation rate are compared with the theoretical estimates based on the classical nucleation theory.  2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 64.60.My; 64.60.Qb; 64.70.Dv; 68.35.Rh; 02.70.Ns