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 poly gonal-like or polyhedral-like shape (in two- or three-dimensional syst ems respectively) separated by thin boundaries endowed with line or su rface energy. Work done mainly during the last decade has shown that t he evolution of mature structures is characterized by universal or sys tem-independent statistical distributions which possess scaling proper ties. I present an introduction to cellular structures, discuss the fu ndamental role played by geometry in the evolution of these systems an d survey the recent experimental and theoretical developments in the f ield.