The effect of spatially homogeneous time-periodic external forcing on dendritic solidification has been studied by phase-field modeling and experiments on liquid crystal. It is shown that the frequency of dendritic sidebranching can be tuned by oscillating pressure or heating. The main parameters that influence this phenomenon are identified.

• Received 13 April 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.83.2853