Devitrification of amorphous materials (which are characterised by the presence of short-range order in the crystal lattice and the absence of the long-range order) leads to the formation and subsequent growth of particles, initially nanoscale, with a certain crystallographic structure (long-range order). The chemical composition of these particles can be the same or differ from the composition of the initial amorphous phase. Thus, one or several crystalline phases of different chemical composition can form in the course of devitrification.

Devitrification of quenched melts is one of the main processes in glass-ceramics (composites based on amorphous and crystalline phases) and the production of nanoparticles by selective etching of devitrification products.