Transition from thermodynamically to kinetically controlled regime of nucleation in a materially open system

The nucleation of islands during the first order phase transition in a materially open system is studied. Expressions for the island size and density are obtained as functions of the temperature, material flux and the total concentration of material introduced into the system. It is shown that at a certain critical concentration the transition from the thermodynamically to the kinetically controlled regime of nucleation is observed. In the subcritical range the density of islands increases with temperature and the amount of material and is flux independent. In the overcritical range the density decreases with the temperature, increases with the flux and does not depend on the total concentration. The characteristic size of the islands decreases simultaneously with the increase of their density.