An explanation for the phenomenon of meniscus lines on the surfaces of (GaAl) as alloys grown by LPE

Fresh evidence is presented that meniscus lines are formed at the intermediate surface of a multilayered structure grown by LPE and that both departing and arriving solutions generate such lines. The shape of a large meniscus line has also been determined and compared with the theoretically predicted shape for a moving groove associated with a mobile grain boundary. The correspondence between the two shapes and the similarities between the physical situations lead to the conclusion that the two phenomena are essentially the same except that a moving solution - gas phase boundary replaces a mobile grain boundary. This suggests that the phenomenon is fundamental and possibly also relevant to other crystal growth situations. © 1977.