Stability or Instability of a Static Liquid Bridge Appearing in Shaped Crystal Growth from Melt via the Pulling-Down Method

Abstract

This study presents sufficient conditions for the stability or instability of the static liquid bridge appearing in crystal growth from the melt of micro-fibers, thin plates, and hollow micro-tubes of predetermined sizes using the pulling-down method. The case in which the contact angle and the growth angle verify the inequality αc>π/2−αg is considered. Experimentally, only stable static liquid bridges can be created; unstable static liquid bridges exist just in theory, because in reality they collapse. The results of this study are significant for shaped crystal growth from melted materials, with given macroscopic dimensions, and using specific equipment. This is because the obtained inequalities represent limits for what can and cannot be achieved experimentally.