Modeling the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation in network materials

We have developed a computationally efficient rate equation model to study transformations between amorphous and crystalline phases of network forming materials. Amorphous and crystalline phases are treated in terms of their atomic ring distributions. The transformation between the two phases is considered to be driven by the conversion of one set of rings into another, following the Wooten-Winer-Weaire bond-switching algorithm. Our rate equation model describes both the generation and collapse of amorphous regions in thin crystalline films, the processes crucial for phase-change data storage materials. It is found that the amorphous spot collapse is assisted by the motion of certain crystal facets.