Asymptotic theory for disc-like crystal growth. II: Interfacial instability and pattern formation at early stage of growth (Q1766159)

This paper continues the exploration of an asymptotic theory for disc-like crystal growth in undercooled liquids proposed by the authors in a previous paper [Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst., Ser. B 4, No. 4, 1091--1116 (2004; Zbl 1143.82312)]. Its main aim is to study the interfacial instability properties of the side interface of a growing disc-like crystal at the early stage of growth, by using the approach previously set by one of the authors [\textit{J. J. Xu}, Interfacial wave theory of pattern formation. Selection of dendrite growth and viscous fingering in a Hele-Shaw flow, (Springer-Verlag, Berlin) (1997; Zbl 0901.76001)]. The mathematical analysis of the model shows that the system allows two types of unstable modes on the side interface. The most dangerous ones are the axisymmetric modes which are antisymmetric about the central transverse plane of the disc., The effects of the instabilities are studied: the most dangerous one occurs at the side interface when the thickness of the disc is equal to a critical value, which is found to be proportional to the capillary length, inversely proportional to the undercooling and insensitive to the initial size and aspect ratio of the disc. It is also shown that kinetic effects reduce the growth rate of the most dangerous mode and stabilizes the disc-crystal growth. The non-axisymmetric modes grow much more slowly and become observable around the edge of the disc only at sufficiently long times. The theoretical predictions are found to be in good agreement with the available experimental data.