Effects of convective fluid motion upon oxide crystal growth in high temperature solution

For understanding of the influence of convective flow on crystal growth, space high temperature in situ observation instrument (SHITISOI) is dedicated to visualize and record the whole growth process of oxide crystals in high temperature up to 1,000°C. Model experiments using transparent liquids such as KNbO3 and a mixture of Li2B4O7+KNbO3 were chosen to investigate effects on ground and in space. On the earth, an investigation of growth kinetics of KNbO3 crystal related to two different states of convection: diffusive-advective flow and diffusive-convective flow, has been performed. The per unit length of a step e is calculated from the experimental data for two different states of convection. Analyses of these data show the effect of buoyancy convection is to enhance the sharpness of the interface. The growth of KNbO3 crystals from solution of KNbO3+Li2B4O7 was investigated in space. The streamlines of the steady thermocapillary convection in Li2B4O7 solvent was observed. Due to thermocapillary convection, KNbO3 crystal grains grew and filled the whole solution homogeneously. Earth-based quenching experiments are designed in order to study polyhedral instability of KNbO3 crystal, which is controlled by diffusion mechanism limitation. In all cases, when the crystal was nucleated near air/solution surface, it lost its polyhedral stability and varied from polyhedrons to dendrites. The thickness of diffusion mechanism limitation layer is about 60 µm.