Dynamics of low anisotropy morphologies in directional solidification.
We report experimental results on quasi-two-dimensional diffusion limited growth in directionally solidified succinonitrile with small amounts of poly(ethylene oxide), acetone, or camphor as a solute. Seaweed growth, or dense branching morphology, is selected by growing grains close to the [111] plane, where the in-plane surface tension is nearly isotropic. The observed growth morphologies are very sensitive to small anisotropies in surface tension caused by misorientations from the [111] plane. Different seaweed morphologies are found, including the degenerate, the stabilized, and the strongly tilted seaweeds. The degenerate seaweeds show a limited fractal scaling range and, with increased undercooling, suggests a transition from "fractal" to "compact" seaweed. Strongly tilted seaweeds demonstrate a significant twofold anisotropy. In addition, seaweed-dendrite transitions are observed in low anisotropy growth.
Utter
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Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. utter@phy.duke.edu
Bodenschatz
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