A
diffusionless transformation is a
phase change that occurs without the long-range
diffusion of
atoms but rather by some form of cooperative, homogeneous movement of many atoms that results in a change in crystal structure. These movements are small, usually less than the interatomic distances, and the atoms maintain their relative relationships. The ordered movement of large numbers of atoms lead some to refer to these as
military transformations in contrast to
civilian diffusion-based phase changes.