ROLE OF ORIENTATIONAL ORDER AT SURFACE-INITIATED RECRYSTALLIZATION OFA LIQUID-METAL

We have studied the spontaneous surface-initiated recrystallization pr ocess of liquid Au recently found in simulations at deep supercooling, The presence of prior orientational order. associated with a very imp ortant surface layering, appears to play an important role in providin g an effective recrystallization germ. We analyse in particular the re crystallization front. We find that orientational order precedes in sp ace, by the equivalent of several layers, the crystalline positional o rdering.