Using the phase-field crystal method in the multi-scale modeling of microstructure evolution

The phase-field-crystal method is a new modeling technique that incorporates the periodic nature of a crystal lattice by considering a free energy functional that is minimized by periodic density fields. This simple approach naturally incorporates elastic and plastic deformations and multiple crystal orientations and can be used to study a host of important material processing phenomena, including grain growth, dendritic and eutectic solidification, and epitaxial growth. This paper reviews the phase-field-crystal formalism and its use in modeling of microstructure evolution in pure and binary alloy systems.