Homogeneous nucleation of a noncritical phase near a continuous phase transition.

Homogeneous nucleation of a new phase near a second, continuous, transition, is considered. The continuous transition is in the metastable region associated with the first-order phase transition, one of whose coexisting phases is nucleating. Mean-field calculations show that as the continuous transition is approached, the size of the nucleus varies as the response function of the order parameter of the continuous transition. This response function diverges at the continuous transition, as does the temperature derivative of the free-energy barrier to nucleation. This rapid drop of the barrier as the continuous transition is approached means that the continuous transition acts to reduce the barrier to nucleation at the first-order transition. This may be useful in the crystallization of globular proteins.