Fluctuations of Steps at the Faces of Potassium
Dihydrophosphate Crystals in a Solution

L. N. Rashkovich, O. A. Shustin, and T. G. Chernevich

Moscow State University, Vorob’evy gory, Moscow, 119899 Russia

e-mail: rashk@polc49.phys.msu.su

Received January 24, 2000; in final form, March 13, 2000

Abstract—The time dependence of the step-displacement fluctuations at the faces of a prism and a bipyramid
of potassium dihydrophosphate (KDP) crystals is determined by in situ atomic-force microscopy in the line-by-
line scanning mode. It is shown that the build-up of fluctuations follows a t^1/4 law and not a t^{1/ 2} dependence as
for a single diffusing particle. Measurements are made during growth and dissolution in the vicinity of the equi-
librium position. It is found that the fluctuations at the prism face during dissolution are stronger than those dur-
ing growth. Voronkov’s theory is used to compute the basic parameters of crystallization and to interpret the
obtained results. © 2000 MAIK “Nauka/Interperiodica”.

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