It has been shown that, apart from classical vacancies formed as a result of the thermal fluctuations, a crystal can contain so-called nonclassical vacancies of nonfluctuation nature. The latter vacancies appear when the temperature exceeds a critical value T_C. The factor responsible for their formation is a mechanical instability of an ideal crystal. The temperature T_C is a second-order phase transition point. The vacancies formed as a result of this phase transition are joined together into small clusters with sizes of the order of several atoms. The above transition makes a substantial contribution to the premelting process observed experimentally.
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