First 4D look at crystallising atoms contradicts textbook nucleation theory
By 
Katrina Krämer2019-06-27T14:30:00
Tracking individual atoms over time in a solid-to-solid phase puts another nail in classical nucleation theory’s coffin
For the first time scientists watched iron and platinum atoms crystallise in 4D – not only observing their arrangement in space but tracking them over time. Their observations clash with classical nucleation theory, which describes the early stages of a phase transition, adding to growing evidence that the textbook theory is outdated and imprecise.