ON THE INFLUENCE OF ELASTIC STRAINS ON CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESSES IN SOLIDS .1. SPHERICAL CLUSTERS IN SOLIDS OF FINITE-SIZE

The influence of the finite size of a solid sample on evolving elastic fields and, in particular, on the energy of elastic deformations due to the formation of a new phase inside a solid is analyzed. It is show n that, depending on the ratio between the size of the matrix R(M) and that of the cluster R(C), elastic strains may either stimulate or inh ibit the growth of the newly evolving phase. Elastic strains may resul t in a stable two-phase equilibrium state. The discussed specific fini te-size effects become important for clusters in samples which are not larger than about 5R(C). The outlined model is the basis for the disc ussion of energies of the elastic strain field caused by the process o f formation of a cluster of a new phase near or at the surface of a so lid, the detailed analysis of which will be presented in Part II.