First-order phase transition through an intermediate state

The theory of first-order phase transitions in systems where the direct formation of nuclei of a new phase is inhibited for any reason, for example, because of the extremely high elastic energy, has been constructed using the example of the silicon-silicon carbide phase transition due to the chemical reaction with carbon monoxide. It has been shown that, in this case, the phase transition occurs through an intermediate state, which significantly promotes the formation of new-phase nuclei. For the silicon-silicon carbide phase transition, such an intermediate state is the “pre-carbide” state of silicon saturated with dilatation dipoles, i.e., pairs formed by a carbon atom and a silicon vacancy that are strongly attracted to each other. The model dependence of the potential energy of systems with an intermediate phase on the reaction coordinates has been investigated. The kinetics of transformation of the intermediate state into a new phase has been described.