Steady-state kinetics of diffusionless first order phase transformations

Abstract

An attempt is made to describe the kinetics of diffusionless first order phase transformations in terms of the time-dependent Landau–Ginzburg equation. A steady-state solution to the equation is presented such that an interface may propagate with a shape-preserving profile under constant supercooling. The laws of growth and dissolution are derived and their condition of validity is discussed. The results provide a plausible basis for the interpretation of the kinetics of displacive transformations in solids and of certain first order transformations in liquid crystals.