Melting and solidification temperatures for distributions of lead aggregates of very small sizes (mean radius r̄ = 42 Å, the minimum detectable radius being r = 23 Å) are reported. These new results show the existence of a limit temperature TL = 392K below which all the aggregates are solid. A discussion of the results for the melting point depression is given on the basis of a phenomenological approach. For the case of solidification, TL is compared to the stability limit temperature of the supercooled liquid predicted by a simple adiabatic nucleation model.
The solid ⇌ liquid transitions of lead aggregates embedded in a silicon matrix are investigated through optical measurements. A phenomenological model linking optics and thermodynamics of melting is proposed.
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