Kinetic Investigations within the Transition Region from Polyhedral to Skeletal Growth Mode (V). Growth Kinetics of the Pyramidal Face of Zinc Single Crystals under Diffusion Conditions

The growth kinetics of the pyramidal face of zinc single crystals is studied in the presence of argon. The curves size vs. time provide evidence that smaller crystals grow in a kinetic regime and after reaching a certain critical size their growth continues in a diffusion regime. The growth kinetics of faces {101 } and {0001} are compared. It is established that the growth of both faces simultaneously changes from a kinetic to a diffusion growth mode. During the transition between the two regimes, however, loss of the morphological stability only of the smooth {0001} face is observed, while the {101 } face with macro steps formed on the surface acquires a skeletal shape after prolonged growth. It is shown that the appearance of morphological instability depends on the surface structure of the crystal faces.     

Growth of aragonite calcium carbonate nanorods in the biomimetic anodic aluminum oxide template

In this study, a biomimetic template was prepared and applied for growing calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanorods whose shape and polymorphism were controlled. A biomimetic template was prepared by adsorbing catalytic dipeptides into the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane. Using this peptide-adsorbed template, mineralization and aggregation of CaCO₃ was carried out to form large nanorods in the pores. The nanorods were aragonite and had a structure similar to nanoneedle assembly. This aragonite nanorod formation was driven by both the AAO template and catalytic function of dipeptides. The AAO membrane pores promoted generation of aragonite polymorph and guided nanorod formation by guiding the nanorod growth. The catalytic dipeptides promoted the aggregation and further dehydration of calcium species to form large nanorods. Functions of the AAO template and catalytic dipeptides were verified through several control experiments. This biomimetic approach makes possible the production of functional inorganic materials with controlled shapes and crystalline structures.     

Growth of CdBr2 crystals by zone-melting and study of their growth features

A detailed surface microtopographic study has been carried out on the (0001) faces of melt-grown CdBr₂ single crystals. Mainly the growth of the crystals takes place by continuous solidification at the solid-liquid interface. Rarely, the growth occurs by two-dimensional nucleation and still more rarely by spiral mechanism. Most spirals are seen to be polygonized such that the polygonization extends right upto the centres of the spirals.     

Oxidation kinetics of BaF2 single crystals

Oxidation of BaF₂ single-crystals as a result of annealing in air in the temperature range 600° to 900 °C leads to mechanical strengthening. The process kinetics was investigated. It is shown that oxidation takes place in the bulk of crystals owing to oxygen diffusion by formation and growth of oxidation centres. These centres are precipitates of a BaO phase which were revealed by chemical etching.     

脉冲重复频率对脉冲激光沉积薄膜的生长过程的影响

脉冲重复频率在脉冲激光沉积技术中起重要的作用,影响最终的薄膜材料的性能.利用动力学蒙特卡罗方法,我们研究了脉冲激光沉积技术中,在不同脉冲重复频率条件下的薄膜生长的初期阶段.模拟结果显示,在低脉冲频率时,前后脉冲之间的间隔时间较长,生长岛有足够的时间熟化.因此,生长岛的密度会比较小且岛的形貌比较规则.而当脉冲重复频率增大时,岛的密度则随之增加,岛呈现出松散的或者枝杈状的形貌.另外,脉冲占空比也就是沉积时间在一定程度上也会对岛的凝聚过程有影响.最后我们将模拟结果与实验结果进行了对比和讨论.     

结晶生长的化学键合理论

针对一般晶体的生长过程,在测定相应溶液(熔体)组成结构的基础上,我们引入了晶体生长过渡相区的概念,并采用键价模型来衡量生长过程中发生变化的化学键的键强度。过饱和溶液(熔体)中的生长单元经过生长过渡相区时,依据彼此之间弱的化学键合作用来微调其内部强的化学键,并以单个生长单元或者生长单元的简单连接体的形式键合进入晶格。在整个结晶生长过程中,生长单元之间弱的键合作用对整个结晶过程(生长速度、晶相的形成)起着决定性作用;同时,中等强度的化学键在生长过渡相区中的变化情况对晶体的最终形貌具有重要影响。     

Growth characteristics of ultra long double-ended acicular ZnO synthesized by a hydrothermal process

Double-ended acicular ZnO structure can be synthesized via a hydrothermal process with tetramethylammonium hydroxide and zinc acetate as precursors and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a structure-directing agent. The as-prepared ZnO products show the well crystalline wurtzite structure with growth direction along [0 0 0 1]. For the first time, PVA is found to be employed as a reservoir of Zn²⁺ ions in the present study, and can control the concentration of Zn²⁺ in reaction solution, and the acicular morphology can be formed at the two ends of the 1-D ZnO structure, due to the effect of secondary growth that occurs as the sufficient concentration of Zn²⁺ ions chelated by PVA releasing to the reaction solution. Furthermore, the size of the 1-D ZnO structure can be tuned by different amounts of PVA addition.     

Growth of EuTe islands on SnTe by molecular beam epitaxy

Semiconductor magnetic quantum dots are very promising structures, with novel properties that find multiple applications in spintronic devices. EuTe is a wide gap semiconductor with NaCl structure, and strong magnetic moments S=7/2 at the half filled 4f⁷ electronic levels. On the other hand, SnTe is a narrow gap semiconductor with the same crystal structure and 4% lattice mismatch with EuTe. In this work, we investigate the molecular beam epitaxial growth of EuTe on SnTe after the critical thickness for island formation is surpassed, as a previous step to the growth of organized magnetic quantum dots. The topology and strain state of EuTe islands were studied as a function of growth temperature and EuTe nominal layer thickness. Reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) was used in-situ to monitor surface morphology and strain state. RHEED results were complemented and enriched with atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements made at the XRD2 beamline of the Brazilian Synchrotron. EuTe islands of increasing height and diameter are obtained when the EuTe nominal thickness increases, with higher aspect ratio for the islands grown at lower temperatures. As the islands grow, a relaxation toward the EuTe bulk lattice parameter was observed. The relaxation process was partially reverted by the growth of the SnTe cap layer, vital to protect the EuTe islands from oxidation. A simple model is outlined to describe the distortions caused by the EuTe islands on the SnTe buffer and cap layers. The SnTe cap layers formed interesting plateau structures with easily controlled wall height, that could find applications as a template for future nanostructures growth.     

Growth of random plane graphs and packings

The process of growth of random graphs with the vertices lying at the points of the plane (i, j) with integral coordinates has been considered. Computer simulation of the process allowed us to establish that random graphs grow in the self-similar mode. The sectorial growth proceeds in such a way that the growth boundary in four sectors consists of two horizontal and two vertical linear segments; in the other four sectors, the boundary is a part of an ellipse; the real growth boundary lags behind the limited form to which it tends; the scatter interval along the principal growth diagonal is proportional to the cubic root of the number of the coordination sphere.     

Growth rate and morphology of silicon carbide whiskers from polycarbosilane

The growth rate of silicon carbide whiskers grown from polycarbosilane was measured and the growth morphology was investigated. The plot of whisker length vs. growth time was almost linear up to a certain growth time but tended to become time-saturated, independent of growth temperature. Cessation of whisker growth was caused by a change of the growth process from vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) to vapor–solid (VS). Decrease in whisker length with growth time was observed in the higher temperature range. Arrhenius plots of growth rate were almost linear in the lower temperature range, but deviated markedly from linearity in the higher temperature range. This deviation was caused by the coexistence of the VS process and the VLS process during whisker growth.     

Growth of high-purity ZnTe single crystals by the sublimation travelling heater method

A travelling heater method (THM) was developed to grow high-purity ZnTe from the vapor phase. This crystal growth method is called the “sublimation THM”. The temperature of the sublimation interface was set at 815°C and the temperature of the growth interface was varied from 785 to 800°C. The growth rate was 3 mm/day. Under these conditions, it was found that the growth process was mainly due to surface nucleation. Characteristics of the crystals were compared with those of solution-THM and vapor phase epitaxially grown crystals. The free-exciton line at 2.381 eV strongly appears and a doublet structure in neutral- acceptor bound exciton at 2.375 eV is clearly resolved with splitting energy of about 0.7 meV. We thus conclude that the THM from the vapor phase is suitable for preparing ZnTe single crystals which have excellent luminescent properties.     

Growth of hierarchical calcium carbonate crystals templated by biomolecules of lotus root

In this paper, crystal growth of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) in the presence of biomolecules of lotus root was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray powder diffractometry were used to characterize the products. The results indicate that calcite spherical particles were constructed from small rhombohedral subunits. Similar CaCO₃ crystals were also gained when crystal growth of CaCO₃ in aqueous solution containing extracts of lotus root was performed, suggesting that the soluble biomolecules of lotus root play a crucial role in directing the formation of hierarchical calcite spherical particles. The possible formation mechanism of the CaCO₃ crystals by using lotus root is also discussed, which can be interpreted by particle‐aggregation based non‐classical crystallization laws. The biomolecules of lotus root might induce and control the nucleation and growth of calcium carbonate crystals. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Nanoparticle Aggregation and Fractal Growth in Fluid Smectic Membranes

We observe directly the diffusion and aggregation of buckyball clusters dispersed in thin, freely-suspended films of smectic liquid crystal using reflected light microscopy. The buckyballs at early times are barely resolvable, nanoscale clusters, which diffuse stochastically in the film. Clusters eventually coalesce to form micron-scale, fractal aggregates whose effective radius increases approximately linearly with time, so that after several days, millimeter-size fractals extend across the entire film. The measured fractal dimension of these final networks suggests that the aggregation of the buckyball clusters in the film is a diffusion-limited process.     

Facile fabrication of porous ZnO by a template free method

In this paper, a template free method has been employed to fabricate porous ZnO. Brick shaped precursor was first synthesized by a mild hydrothermal process. Accompanied with the decomposition of the precursor during the subsequent annealing treatment, porous ZnO with the inherited morphology of the precursor was obtained. The as‐prepared products were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It exhibited that the porous hierarchical frame consists of nano‐sheets with wurtzite‐type. The size of the pores as well as the size of the particles varied with the annealing temperature. Mechanism speculation showed that the crystal‐aggregation in the growth process of the precursor is the key to the establishment of pore structure. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

水垢晶体的形成及变化规律研究

加热含有0.001 mol/L的CaCl2和NaHCO3的水样,在保持蒸发与补水速度相同的条件下,利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)研究碳钢挂片表面沉积水垢颗粒的生长过程,聚集形态和晶体结构的变化.结果表明:挂片表面首先析出无规则聚集的球状和片状颗粒;15 min后微小的球状或片状颗粒出现定向排列的趋势,形成表面十分粗糙的针棒状堆积体,其轴向生长速度达1.0～1.5 μm/min;随着蒸发时间的延长,在加热2 h时,针棒状堆积体由根部开始晶化,逐步形成棱角分明的六棱柱状晶体.晶体表面也会吸附新生球形颗粒不断的沉积,同时在挂片的表面还会形成许多直径约为2 μm,厚度约0.1 μm的六边形片状球霰石颗粒,片层颗粒无规则的相互支撑和聚集,部分颗粒以直立方式生长.6 h后已形成的六棱柱状晶体颗粒的顶部形态开始发生变异,形成顶端带有数十根针状分枝的孪生晶体.而部分球霰石颗粒的聚集体在加热3 h后逐步向斜六面体方解石转变.     

The Influence of Interstitials and Growth Conditions on the X-Ray Colorability of Synthetic Quartz Crystals

The saturation colorability of quartz crystals depends not only on the contamination of the material but also on the regarded growth sector. But even in the same sector the colorability varies locally. Investigations of crystals with induced growth striations and defined local growth rate showed that the dependence of the colorability on the growth conditions is very complex. The growth rate to colorability characteristics may have positive or negative slopes regarding e.g. —x-or z-sections. Optical investigations of —x-sections prove that under certain circumstances light and/or dark striations may occur or even uncolorable regions may be observed, althought the contamination is sure. We explain this by the interaction of the coloration centres with interstitials. That effect might be of importance for the evaluation of the impurity by means of the coloration of natural or synthetic quartz crystals.     

On crystal growth of orthorhombic alkali acid phthalates. An application of fourier transform of crystal morphology to tracht and habitus

The orthorhombic alkali acid phthalates crystallize in three different structure types. The structure of potassium acid phthalate (P2₁ab) can be regarded as a basic structure. The elementary cells of ammonium (Pcab) and sodium crystals (B2ab) contain two potassium structure units which are connected to each other along [001] by a symmetry centre in the first case and by a twofold rotation axis in the second case. It will be shown that close morphological relations between the crystals also can be observed. The morphological lattices of the substances agree fairly well with the centres of gravity of the phthalate ions (HP). The reciprocal crystals have mmm (KHP, NH₄HP) and mm2 symmetry (NaHP), respectively. The growth rates of the faces are proportional to the areas of the net plane meshes, divided by the number of the morphological units per growth layer. The thickness of the growth layer is determined by the morphological extinction rules. The specific surface energies are proportional to the surfaces of the reciprocal crystals parallel to the crystal faces, divided by the areas of the net plane meshes. The theoretical growth and equilibrium forms of the hydrogen phthalates are in good agreement with the experimental observations.     

Monte Carlo Simulation Algorithms of Grain Growth in Polycrystalline Materials

In the paper we present a variety of Monte Carlo algorithms, that can be employed to simulate the grain growth in polycrystalline materials during sintering. The simulation algorithms of monophase or two‐phase structure, on both the square and triangular distribution of lattice points, possibly with the second phase particles being either of static or dynamic nature, are described. The paper deals with oriented and anisotropic grain growth as well. A considerable number of input parameters in the simulation procedure makes it possible to set up a large amount of combinations of conditions under which we want to simulate the sintering process.     

Twinning due to Transformation from a more Favourable Energetic Transition Structure to a Higher Symmetrical Arrangement: Five-radiated Intergrowth Crystals of Metals (III)

Parts I and II investigated twins that form when a more favourable energetic transition structure initially occurs which then, at a certain growth stage (presumably in the nm-range), transform into a more symmetric structural arrangement. These transition structures, which could explain the transformation between the twin individuals, were found using lattice energy calculations on organic substances such as pentaerythrite, 1,2,4,5-tetrabromobenzene, 3,5-dimethylbenzoic acid, and maleic acid. The formation of a more favourable energetic but symmetrically lower transition structure is more likely. when lattice pseudosymmetries are present. Experimentally proving these transition structures is extremely difficult because of their low volume. It has nevertheless been possible to detect such a transition structure — around which crystal growth begins — in many metallic vapour-deposit layers. Crystal growth begins around a core and then continues as a three-dimensional periodically ordered cubic face-centered structure, at which point twins form. In Part III, the attempt is made to confirm these processes with energy calculations.     

多晶Si薄膜表面金催化Si纳米线生长

以Au膜作为催化剂和大晶粒多晶Si薄膜为衬底,利用固-液-固生长机制,制备出直径在30～ 100 nm和长度为几百微米的高密度Si纳米线.实验研究了退火温度、生长时间和N2流量对Si纳米线生长的影响.结果表明,随着退火温度的升高,生长时间的延长和N2流量的增加,Si纳米线的长度和密度都显著增加.对不同生长时间下获得的Si纳米线样品进行了X射线衍射测量,结果显示随着生长时间的延长,多晶Si薄膜和表面的Au膜成分都在减少.光致发光谱则显示出弱的蓝光发射和强的红光发射特性,前者应是由非晶SiOx壳层中的氧空位发光中心引起,后者则应归因于Si纳米线芯部与非晶SiOx壳层之间界面区域附近中的Si =O双键态或非桥键氧缺陷中心.