This paper reviews the fundamental concepts and the terminology of wetting. In particular, it focuses on high temperature wetting phenomena of primary interest to materials scientists. We have chosen to split this review into two sections: one related to macroscopic (continuum) definitions and the other to a microscopic (or atomistic) approach, where the role of chemistry and structure of interfaces and free surfaces on wetting phenomena are addressed. A great deal of attention has been placed on thermodynamics. This allows clarification of many important features, including the state of equilibrium between phases, the kinetics of equilibration, triple lines, hysteresis, adsorption (segregation) and the concept of complexions, intergranular films, prewetting, bulk phase transitions versus ''interface transitions'', liquid versus solid wetting, and wetting versus dewetting.

The III-V nanowire structure (zinc blende or wurtzite) grown by the vapor-liquid-solid process is shown to be highly dependent on the parameters which shape the droplet at the top of the nanowire. Under conditions that the droplet volume does not exceed a certain value, it is demonstrated that when the nucleation of the solid starts at the solid-liquid-vapor triple line, a relatively large droplet volume and low wetting angle favor the formation of the wurtzite structure. We show that the effective V/III flux ratio is the primary parameter controlling the structure.

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