Molecular-dynamics simulation of homogeneous nucleation in the vapor phase

Ten independent quenches of a gas of 40 000 Lennard-Jones particles are fol lowed until the systems exhibit droplet growth. The cluster distributions a nd the kinetics are determined for the quenched quasi-equilibrium state, at the onset of nucleation and at droplet growth. All the distributions are i somorphic with the particle distribution in the equilibrium gas state and a symptotically given by simple exponentials. The kinetics show detailed bala nce of particles and clusters which join and which leave the successful cri tical nuclei. The systems exhibit chaoticlike behavior with respect to the onset of nucleation, so that only marginal changes in a system will change the onset of nucleation. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.