THE EVOLUTION OF CELLULAR STRUCTURES

A large class of evolving non-equilibrium systems, known collectively as cellular structures, are composed of nearly-uniform domains of polygonal-like or polyhedral-like shape (in two- or three-dimensional systems respectively) separated by thin boundaries endowed with line or surface energy. Work done mainly during the last decade has shown that the evolution of mature structures is characterized by universal or system-independent statistical distributions which possess scaling properties. I present an introduction to cellular structures, discuss the fundamental role played by geometry in the evolution of these systems and survey the recent experimental and theoretical developments in the field.