The anisotropic phase-field crystal model recently proposed and used by Prieler et al (2009 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 21 464110) is derived from microscopic density functional theory for anisotropic particles with fixed orientation. Its morphology diagram is also explored. In particular we have investigated the influence of anisotropy and undercooling on the process of nucleation and microstructure formation from the atomic to the microscale. To that end numerical simulations were performed varying those dimensionless parameters which represent anisotropy and undercooling in our anisotropic phase-field crystal model. The results from these numerical simulations are summarized in terms of a morphology diagram of the stable state phases. These stable phases are also investigated with respect to their kinetics and characteristic morphological features.
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