The origin and growth of lineage structures in melt-grown crystals

Abstract

Abstract A model for the generation of lineage structures in melt-grown crystals based on the phenomenon of impurity particle pushing and trapping at the moving solid–liquid interface is presented. The analysis is developed quantitatively only for the case of striations in tin but is expected to apply to all single-phase materials. Fresh experimental observations of striations in tin crystals and previous experimental results are shown to be consistent with the model. New observations on the appearance of ‘striations’ in lamellar Sn–Zn eutectic crystals are presented and discussed in relation to striation geometry in single phase crystals.