Bridging Born and Lindemann criteria: The role of interstitial defects

We investigate theoretically the crucial role of the interstitial defects that trigger the melting of a surface-free elemental crystal. Based on a modified J(1)-J(2) lattice model, we have studied the quasistatic and dynamic properties of a face-centered-cubic elemental crystal. The avalanche of interstitial defects due to cooperation proves to be the instability mechanism at the melting point that bridges Lindemann and Born criteria.