Eutectic dendrites forming in a model ternary system have been studied using the phase-field theory. The eutectic and one-phase dendrites have similar forms, and the tip radius scales with the interface free energy as for one-phase dendrites. The steady-state eutectic patterns, appearing on these two-phase dendrites, include concentric rings and single- to multiarm spirals from which the fluctuations choose; a stochastic phenomenon characterized by a peaked probability distribution. The number of spiral arms correlates with the tip radius and the kinetic anisotropy.

• Received 11 October 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.87.032401