Equilibrium and nonequilibrium states of one-dimensional atomic structures

The formation and evolution of one-dimensional atomic structures have been studied by the kinetic Monte Carlo method. It has been found that the distribution of the lengths of such structures depends not only on external parameters but also on the duration of the experiment. It has been revealed that a transition from one equilibrium state to another at heating or cooling occurs through a nonequilibrium state, which is observed in most of the experiments.