Crystalloluminescence produced during the polymorphic phase transition of growing crystallites

Abstract

The present paper reports the crystalloluminescence (CRL) produced during the polymorphic phase transition of growing crystallites and models the dynamics of the process. The CRL emission may take place during the polymorphic phase transition of crystals due to several processes such as production of micro-fracture of crystallites during the phase transition, thermal population in the over-strained sites and electronic excitation by the energy released during the phase transition. Considering the basic concepts of crystallization from the supersaturation solution, expressions are derived which are able to explain satisfactorily the temporal, thermal, spectral, concentration and other characteristics of the CRL. It is shown that the induction period for crystal nucleation, and the lifetime of supersaturation, may be determined from the CRL measurements.