Calibration of phase field parameters demonstrated on kinetics of a shrinking single grain

The phase field method is frequently employed to simulate evolution of rather complex microstructures. In order to accurately describe the real kinetics of a specific material system, the phase field parameters must be calibrated to standard thermodynamic quantities such as interface mobilities or interface energies. This letter presents a convenient method, based on thermodynamic modelling of shrinking of a single grain embedded in single crystal (matrix), how to calibrate the phase field parameters. It also shows, how the required thermodynamic quantities can be met by proper rescaling of a phase field simulation carried out for given phase field parameters.