Dynamics of the faceted salol interface during directional solidification in thin-samples
Résumé
During directional solidification of materials, microstructures formed at the solid-liquid interface depend on the physical parameters of the material and the processing parameters. Further, the microstructure plays a critical role in defining the final properties of a material. Directional solidification is highly effective for studying the formation of these structures experimentally, as it allows precise control of process parameters such as thermal gradient G, the pulling velocity Vp and the sample composition. If the attachment of atoms is anisotropic and slow, its effect is dominant when compared to the heat and solute diffusion in the liquid. Consequently, the interface is faceted at the macroscopic scale and crystals exhibit smooth surfaces at the atomic scale. Despite extensive research, particularly in materials such as silicon, understanding faceted growth and its dynamics remains a significant challenge.