08 Chapter1 PDF
08 Chapter1 PDF
08 Chapter1 PDF
CHAPTER 1
1. I Introduction
Crystals are the back bone of todays technological development. Present day
applications require varied types of crysTals in its purest form. This led the people
to concentrate on the development of new varieties of crystals, highly pure in form
with almost nill defect. Urgency on the development of crystals led to the
investigation of theoretical studies on its growth process. A well developed theory
is now available to help the crystal growers to perfect the growth methods. At
present theory and the experimental techniques have been developed to such a level
that tailor made crystals for specific application can be grown. This chapter gives a
general introduction to the theories and techniques of crystal growth.
The thermodynamic equilibrium between solid and liquid phases occur when
the free energy of the two phases are equal.
The free energy of a system is related to the internal energy and the entropy of the
system by the Gibbs [ l ] equation
G = H-TS (1.2)
where AH = HL-HS
AS=SL-SS
AG = GL-Gs
At equilibrium AG = 0
where AT=T,-T
concentrations rather than supercooling for solution growth and vapour growth.
In general
where S is the supersaturation ratio. Equation (1.4) and (1.6) explain how the free
which are decisive in the process of crystallization. The rate of growth of a crystal
1.3 Nucleation
first sub-microscopic speck or nucleus of the solid crystal. Nucleation can be either
atoms, a theory for the formation of a nucleus was put forward by Volmer and
Weber [2].
Fluctuations within the supersaturdted solution give rise to small clusters of
molecules known as "embryos". The probability that an embryo will grow to form
a stable nucleus depends on the change in free energy associated with its formation.
If the free energy change between the solid and liquid is AG,, the free energy of the
system decreases by this amount for each unit volurne of the solid created, but
increases by an amount equal to the interfacial energy o, for each unit area of the
solid-liquid interface formed. Hence the change in Gibbs free energy associated
contribution due to both surface and volume to the free energy charge are
represented. The surface energy term increases with 9 and the volume energy term
decreases with ?. The net free energy change increases with the increase in size,
attains a maximum and decreases for the further increase in the size of the nucleus.
The size of the nucleus corresponding to the maximum free energy change is known
as the "critical nucleus". It is the smallest sized embryo which can grow further
effecting the reduction in the free energy of the system. On the other hand if the
size of the nucleus formed is below the critical dimension, no further growth is
It may be noted that the value of r* decreases with AG, i.e., with supersaturation or
supercooling. The free energy change AG* leading to the formation of the critical
nucleus or, in other words, the activation energy necessary for nucleation, can be
calculated by substituting r* in Equation 1.7.
AG* =
3s:
16r$@
AG* =
3(kT 1n.s)'
The rate of nucleation i.e., the number of nuclei formed per unit volume per
unit time can be expressed as
Fig. I . 1 Free energy change of ;I nucleus as a function of radius
substituting for AG*;
where J, is the pre-exponential factor. This equation shows that the nucleation rate
is governed by the temperature, degree of supersaturation and the interfacial energy.
Rearranging Equation 1.10 and arbitrarily choosing J = 1, so that 1n.J =0, we get the
expression for critical supersaturation as
The successive growth of the critical nuclei of microscopic size leads to the
formation of a crystal. In order to understand the mechanism and the kinetics of
growth, several theories have been developed, which includes surface energy theory,
diffusion theory, etc., but have been found to be unsatisfactory. Later Kossel and
others analysed the atomic inhomogeneity of a crystal surface and explained the role
of step and kink sites on the growth process. However, this was also not enough to
provide a complete explanation for the continuous growth of a crystal surface. The
f d breakthrough came when Frank showed that crystal dislocations were capable
of providing the sources of steps required for the continuous growth of a crystal.
These theories have been extensively described by a number of authors 13-71.
equilibrium states put forward by Gibbs 111. He compared the growth of crystals
with the formation of water droplets in mist and defined the equilibrium form as one
with minimum total surface energy for a given volume. The thermodynamical
[81 calculated the shapes and end forms of crystals in equilibrium with solution or
vapour, consistent with Gibbs criterion. Wulff [9] gave an extension to Curie's
ideas and deduced relations connecting the growth rate of different faces and the
corresponding surface free energies. Marc and Ritzel [lo] further developed the
concepts of Wulff, stating that different faces have different soiubilities. They
suggested that when the difference in solubility is small, growth is mainly governed
by surface energy and the change in su&dce of one form is necessarily at the expense
of other. Bravais [I 11 suggested that the velocities oC the growth of the different
faces of a crystal would depend on the reticular density and the concept was
modified by Donnay and Harker [12]. Soehnke [13] proposed that the faces which
possess the greatest reticular densities are those with minimum surface energies and
increases, the growth becomes rapid in all directions. Consequently, the crystal
observed that when the supemturation is high, well defined faces are developed.
The diffusion theories, proposed by Noyes and Whimey (161 and by Nernst
According to them, the amount of solute molecules tfat will get deposited over the
where dm is the mass of the solute deposited over the crystal surface of area A
during time dt, D is the diffusion coefficient of the solute, C and C, are the actual
and equilibrium concentration of the solute and 6, the thickness of the stagnant layer
adjacent to the crystal surface. But this theory also fails to be consistent with
experimental observations.
1 .4.3 Surface nucleation model
where Ds is the surface diffusion coefficient and T, is the mean life time of an
adsorbed molecule on the surface. In this model
- a exp
x,
I I
-
2kT
where a is the nearest neighbour distance and $J is the nearest neighbour interaction
parameter.
The possible lattice sites for the attachment of adsorbed atoms on crystal
surface is illustrated in Figure 1.2 in which adatoms are pictured as cubes.
Fig. 1.2 Possible lcttice sites for the i~ttac,hmentof absorbed atom
A - terrace site
B - ledge site
C - kink site
An atom reaching a kink site is attracted by three out of the six nearest
neighbows, while such bonds is two for a ledge and one for a terrace site. Thus the
maximum binding energy between the adatom and the existing crystal surface occurs
for the incorporation at a kink site. Hence the adatoms over the crystal surface
migrate towards a step and moves along it to a kink site and get incorporated.
Under ideal conditions this stepwise stacking will continue until the whole layer is
completed. The mode of advance of a step has been extensively analysed by Burton,
Cabrera and Frank 1211. A step advances by incorporating more and more adatoms
at kmk sites. Assuming a diffusional flow of adatoms along the step, the rate of
advance of a step can be expressed as
x,. Here it is assumed that the mean migration distance is much higher than the
mean distance between two adjacent kink sites on a step.
When an advancing step covers the whole surface completely, further growth
is possible only by the initiation of a two dimensional nucleus. According to
Volmer this is possible on account of thermal fluctuations. Assuming a circular
disc-shaped nucleus of radius r and height h, the free 'znergy change associated with
the formation of such a two dimensional nucleus may lie written as
where ?- is the edge free energy. Employing the same techniques adopted in
Section 1.3 the activation energy necessary for the hvo dimensional nucleation can
be calculated as
*hP0
AG*, =-
kT ins
The growth rates calculated using these equations do not agree with observed results
in many cases. According to the K.S.V. theory, the growth of the crystal is
observed that most of the real crystals grow at supersaturation down to a value of
1 % or even lower.
1.4.4 Screw dislocation theory
The discrepancy between the observed growth rate and the theoretical
prediction based on two dimensional nucleation theory points to the fact that there is
some other mechanisms responsible for the continuous growth of a crystal surface.
Frank 1221 proposed that dislocations having a screw component can act as a
continuous source of steps on the surface of the crystal which eliminates the need for
provides a step on the surface with a height equal to 'a', the projection of the
Burgers vector of the dislocation. Since the step provided by the screw dislocation
is anchored at the emergence point of the dislocation, and since the inner parts of the
steps move radially at a faster rate than the outer parts, fiuther growth takes place
only by the rotation of step around the dislocation point. This mechanism is
illus~ratedin Figure 1.3. Under a given condition of supersaturation these steps wind
themselves up into a spiral, centred on the dislocation. Though this theory assumes
surface, the growth rate does not depend on the concentration of these dislocations.
Fig. 1.3 Developm~:ntof a spiral
Based on spiral growth mechanism Burton, Cabrera and Frank could establish a ,
relation between the rate of growth R and the relative supersaturation which is
expressed as
and
D, fl ,BQ
C =
x,2
S1
- a constant for BCF model
The variation of the growth rate with supersaturation thus depends on two
parameters, C which determines the absolute value of growth rate and sl which
determines actual growth rate.
The BCF theory therefore predicts that the growth rate 15 proportional to the square
of the supersaturation for low supersaturation, changing to a linear dependence at
higher supersaturations. The Frank model is currently well founded in respect of the
excellent agreement between theory and observations on growth rate as well as of
the direct observation of spiral pattan, characteristic of this mechanism 123-271.
However, Keller [28], and Bauser [29] observed that edge dislocations can also act
as persistent sources of steps for crystal growth. Frank [30] proposed a general
explanation of nucleation at edge dislocation that the surface stresses provides the
extra energy required for the formation of the growth nuclei when the dislocation
component perpendicular to the surface is absent.
The growth of crystals from the liquid phase is treatetl as two categories due to the
independent behaviour of melt and solution techniqu't:~. A brief description about
the various techniques of growth has been presented in the following sections with
an emphasis to liquid - > solid growth method.
1.5.1 Solid growth techniques
Vapour growth techniques can be adopted for the growth of materials which
lack a suitable solvent and sublime before melting at normal pressure. Vapour
growth methods have been employed to produce bulk crystals and to prepare thin
layers on crystals with a high degree of purity. Growth from vapour phase may
generally be subdivided in to
In PVT technique the crystal is grown from its own vapours and this method
does not involve any extraneous compound formation or reaction. The PVT
methods are limited to materials having an appreciable vapour pressure at attainable
temperatures. There are two types of techniques employed in physical vapour
transport process-sublimation-condensation and sputtering. The first method
involves sublimation of the charge at the high temperature end of the furnace,
followed by the condensation at the colder end [36,37]. Sputtering techniques are
preferred to low vapour-pressure substances and mainly this method has been used
to prepare thin films rather than discrete crystals. The principal advantage of this
technique is that film growth can be possible at lower temperature than in ordinary
sublimation-condensation growth. The PVT techniques are used to prepare a variety
of crystals [ 3 8 4 ] and for the production of epitaxial films [41,42].
1) N o d freezing method
a) Bridgman technique
b) Cmhralski technique
2) Zone-growth method
a) Zone melting method
b) Floating zone method
There are two versions for Bridgman's method; Horizontal Bridgman method
(Chalmer's technique) and Ver&ical Bridgman method (Bridgman-Stockbarger
technique). In these techniques directional solidification is obtained by slowly
withdrawing a boat containing molten material through a temperature gradient
148,491. The Bridgman technique is most frequently applied for the growth of
metals, semiconductors and alkaline earth halides [5@!;2]. But this method cannot
be used for materials having high melting point and high expansion coefficient.
Cmhralski method is the most powerful method for growing single crystals
and is basically a crystal pulling system. The advantage of this method over the
Bridgman method is that it can accommodate the volume expansion associated with
the solidification. Cmhralski method has gained wide recognition particularly in
growing single crystals of semiconductors like silicon [53] and other materials
154,551.
Zone melting is mainly considered as a purification technique. However, ~t
may be used as a method for the growth of single c r y s ~ l s . In this method, a zone
or part of the solid material is melted and this molten zone travels together with the
heating elements. The advantage of zone melting is that it offers a relatively simple
way of producing doped crystals containing deliberately admixed additives in a
given concentration in uniform distribution 1561. Floating zone technique developed
by Keck and Golay 1571 is a variant of the zone melting technique in which no
crucible is used. This method is especially suitable for the preparation of high
purity silicon and germanium.
Flux growth is the term used to describe the growth of crystals from molten
salt solvents at high temperatures. A high temperature solvent which reduces the
Hydrothermal methods
It is the most effective and easy way for growing crystals. A variety of
All the methods mentioned above fail in the case of the growth of certain
class of materials having poor solubility and unstable thermal behaviour. The gel
method is found suitable for the growth of such a class of materials. In gel
Chaoyang, T. U., Zundu, L., Chen, G. and Wang, G., Cryst. Res. Tech.,
29 (1994) K47.
Yokotani, A. Sasaki, T., Fujioka, K., Nakai, S. and Chiyoe, Y., J. Cryst.
Growth, 99 (1990) 815.
Henisch, H. K., Crystals in Gels and Liesegang Rings, Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, 1988.