The electron back-scattering diffraction technique was used to determine the

orientations of α-cristobalite dendrites. The two branches of the cruciform α-

cristobalite dendrite extend along the crystallographic directions [100] and [010],

but no branches developed along <001>. A new kind of twinning relationship was

found between two α-cristobalite dendrites. The twin axes were [110], [111] and

[¯1¯11], and the twin planes were (111) and (¯1¯11). It was shown that crystallographic

symmetry controlled the dendrite morphology and dendrite aggregation.

Branching and Twinning in α-Cristobalite Dendrites: an Electron Backscatter

Diffraction Study. S.Zhao, M.Yang, H.Xu, S.Zhang: Journal of Applied

Crystallography, 2008, 41[4], 800-2