The Growth Kinetics of Ledges During Phase Transformations: Multistep Interactions

An analysis of the growth characteristics of a train of ledges is presented, where volume diffusion in the parent phase is assumed to be the rate-controlling factor. First a train of steps of unequal height is considered where the step heights are assumed to be consistent with a steady-state motion so that each step moves with the same speed. It is possible to analyse this situation by asymptotic methods when the steps are either far apart or close together. Explicit results are given for both two- and three-step trains and it is shown how the step heights must vary if a given train is to move steadily at a specified speed. Trains of steps of equal height are also considered and an analysis is made of the relative velocities of such steps due to their interaction.