  An essential parameter for crystal growth is the kinetic coefficient given by
the proportionality between super-cooling and average growth velocity. Here we
show that this coefficient can be computed in a single equilibrium simulation
using the interface pinning method where two-phase configurations are
stabilized by adding an spring-like bias field coupling to an order-parameter
that discriminates between the two phases. Crystal growth is a Smoluchowski
process and the crystal growth rate can therefore be computed from the terminal
exponential relaxation of the order parameter. The approach is investigated in
detail for the Lennard-Jones model. We find that the kinetic coefficient scales
as the inverse square-root of temperature along the high temperature part of
the melting line. The practical usability of the method is demonstrated by
computing the kinetic coefficient of the elements Na, Mg, Al and Si from first
principles. It is briefly discussed how a generalized version of the method is
an alternative to forward flux sampling methods for computing rates along
trajectories of rare events.
