  The ability to use external magnetic fields to influence the microstructure
in polycrystalline materials has potential applications in microstructural
engineering. To explore this potential and to understand the complex
interactions between electromagnetic fields and solid-state matter transport we
consider a phase-field-crystal (PFC) model. Together with efficient and
scalable numerical algorithms this allows the examination of the role that
external magnetic fields play on the evolution of defect structures and grain
boundaries, on diffusive time scales. Examples for planar and circular grain
boundaries explain the essential atomistic processes and large scale
simulations in 2D are used to obtain statistical data on grain growth under the
influence of external fields.
