On the basis of a previously proposed twin lamellae mechanism for crystal growth, the growth mechanism and kinetics of a {111} face-centered cubic crystal surface at which there emerged a re-entrant corner and 2 types (A- and B-) of twin lamellae, were theoretically analyzed. Analytical calculations, using the first-neighbor approximation, demonstrated that the energy barrier to 2-dimensional heterogeneous nucleation at the B-type twinned area was smaller than that for 2-dimensional heterogeneous nucleation at a sub-step which was induced by a stacking fault and a re-entrant corner which was induced by A-type twinning. It was also smaller than that for conventional 2-dimensional homogeneous nucleation. Although the nucleation barrier to 2-dimensional heterogeneous nucleation at the re-entrant corner or twinned area was no larger than that at the sub-step which was created by a stacking fault, its nucleation rate was smaller because the growth mechanism of the crystalline cluster had to be considered. It was concluded that the twin lamellae growth mechanism was more active than the stacking fault mechanism which had previously been considered.

H.Li, N.B.Ming: Journal of Crystal Growth, 1995, 152[3], 228-34