Spatiotemporal chaos near the onset of cellular growth during thin-film solidification of a binary alloy

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 1992-07, Vol.121 (3), p.536-542
• Main Authors: Lee, J.T.C., Tsiveriotis, K., Brown, R.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces; Solid-State Physics; Surface and interface dynamics and vibrations; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/0022-0248(92)90168-I

Thin-film solidification experiments with a succinonitrile-acetone alloy are used to observe the long time-scale dynamics of cellular crystal growth at growth rates only slightly above the critical value V = V cλ c for the onset of morphological instability Under these conditions only very small amplitude cells are observed with wavelengths near the value predicted by linear stability theory λ = λ c. At long times, microstructures with wavelengths significantly finer than λ c form by nucleation at defects across the interface. These interfaces do not have a unique microstructure, but seem to exhibit spatiotemporal chaos on a long time scale caused by the continual birth and death of cells by tip splitting and cell annihilation in grooves.