The Noncubic Growth of Single Crystals of Silver by Condensation from Vapor

Abstract

The condensation of silver vapor upon solidified, spherical drops of silver has been found to produce straight, thin, single-crystal needles of silver under certain conditions. The formation of the drops and the subsequent growth of the needles was a continuous process accomplished by condensing the vapor in vacuum upon an iron surface as that surface was cooling from above the melting point of silver to an equilibrium temperature just below the melting point. The shape and crystalline orientation of the needles indicate that they are the result of a nucleus growing by condensation much more rapidly in a certain $〈110〉$ direction than in other directions, including other $〈110〉$ directions.