Animation of Atomic Details of the Melting of Gold (IMAGE)

DOE/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Animation of Atomic Details of the Melting of Gold

Caption

This animation shows the results of a recent study at SLAC, in which researchers used a powerful beam of electrons to watch gold melt extremely rapidly after being heated by a laser pulse. The data reveal that the melting starts at the surfaces of nanosized grains and the boundaries between them, leading to the formation of pockets of liquid that are surrounded by solid. This mix evolves over time until only liquid is left.

Credit

Farrin Abbott/Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

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