FLUID MECHANICS IN CRYSTAL GROWTH PROBLEMS

Fluid mechanics bears a close relation to the crystal growth. The transport processes and flow instabilities in the fluid phase during the growth of crystals have a profound influence on the structure and quality of the crystals. In this paper some aspects of hydrodynamics related to the crystal growth are reviewed. The basic methods of the crystal growth are first briefly described. The various flow phenomena during the growth of crystals and their relevance to the crystal defects are then considered. Seve...