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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Atomically Defined Templates for Epitaxial Growth of Complex Oxide Thin Films
Published on: December 4, 2014
Epitaxial growth of granular single crystals
Y Nahmad-Molinari1, J C Ruiz-Suárez
1Departamento de Física Aplicada, CINVESTAV-IPN, Unidad Mérida, A.P. 73 "Cordemex," Mérida, Yucatán 97310, México.
Abstract:
Compaction from a random-loose-packed to a random-close-packed phase is observed when monodisperse granular beds are shaken, but beyond this packing, the system freezes up in a jammed structure. Here we report a technique to grow large hard-sphere granular crystals, with perfect stacking and no defects by means of a "gas phase" epitaxial procedure. We study the growth mechanism and provide evidence that the observed granular crystallization is driven by gravity and energy dissipation.
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