Growth Spiral Activity and Step Velocities on a Crystal Surface

The normal growth rates and slopes of the dominant growth spirals on a crystal face were measured using a novel application of interferometry and atomic force microscopy. The dislocations responsible for the spirals were also observed directly. In this way it was shown that the velocities of similar steps on growth spirals of different activity, growing simultaneously on the same crystal face, were the same, and hence independent of the growth spirals to which they belonged. With this information the relative activities of the spirals were quantified and discussed in terms of hollow dislocation cores and the back-stress effect.