Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

On the role of surface energy in the flattening of a crystal face

  • Published:
Central European Journal of Chemistry

Abstract

The question addressed in this paper is the flattening of the valley separating two growth hillocks emanating from screw dislocations during crystal growth. It is argued that both thermodynamic and kinetic effects contribute to this result, at least on a quasi-atomic scale. If performed under low enough supersaturation the growth leads to the formation of the face morphology corresponding to the minimum of the surface free energy. Accelerated step annihilation in the valley floor is a universal factor, which favors face flatting under any supersaturation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chr.N. Nanev: “Polyhedral stability—on the growth of flat crystal faces on small molecule and protein crystals”. Cryst. Res. Technol., Vol 39, (2004), pp. 3–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R. Gomer: Field emission and field ionization, Harvard University Press, 1961.

  3. J.M. Blakely: “Surface Diffusion. In: Bruce Chalmers (Ed.): Progress in Material Science, Vol. 10. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  4. N. Cabrera and M. Levine: “On the dislocation theory of crystal evaporation”, Phil. Mag., Vol. 1, (1956), pp. 450–458.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. E.D. Williams: “Surface steps and surface morphology: understanding macroscopic phenomena from atomic observations”, Surface Sci., Vol. 299/300, (1994), pp. 502–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chr. Naev: “Periodically reversed growth and dissolution of separate faces of silver single crystals”, Electrochem. Acta, Vol. 25, (1980), pp. 1383–1387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. E. Budevski, G. Staykov and W. Bostanov: “Form and step distance of polygonized growth spirals”, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol. 29, (1975), pp. 316–320.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. A.A. Chernov: “Stability of faceted shapes”, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol. 24/25 (1974), pp. 11–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. P.G. Vekilov and Chr. Nanev: “Elementary growth kinetics of silver electrocrystallization”, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol. 125, (1992), pp. 229–236.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Christo N. Nanev

Authors
  1. Christo N. Nanev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Based on the oral presentation during ICCG14, Grenoble, France, 09–13 August 2004.

About this article

Cite this article

Nanev, C.N. On the role of surface energy in the flattening of a crystal face. cent.eur.j.chem. 3, 188–197 (2005). https://doi.org/10.2478/BF02476249

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/BF02476249

Keywords

Search

Navigation