24 - In Situ Observation of Crystal Growth and Flows by Optical Techniques

Abstract

Spatial and time resolution in the measurements of growth rates and mapping of surface topographies and the associated transport phenomena reflecting their growth mechanism has been developed because advanced microscopies and interferometers have attained nanoscale resolution. The first part of this chapter covers the historical background of why in situ observation by optical methods was developed for the measurement of crystal growth rates and observation of surface nanotopographies with the same vertical resolutions as of the scanning probe microscopies. The potential of recently developed interferometric techniques, such as phase-shift interferometry, is then reviewed with the principles of the optics. The second part of this chapter emphasizes basic interferometric technique in mapping 3D distribution of concentration in the vicinity of the growing crystal surface in both convection and convection-free environments. Utilization of these techniques not only in fundamental crystal growth fields but also in applications, such as environmental sciences and crystallization in microgravity and mineralogy, are introduced.