Anomalous eutectic growth: I. The determination of the eutectic structures of Bi-T1Bi2, Bi-Sn, Sb-Pb and Sb-InSb using an accelerated growth technique

A description is presented of an accelerated growth technique (AGT) for the production of unidirectionally solidified eutectic crystals. Application of the technique can yield considerable microstructural data with a minimum of effort and provides a means for examining the growth-rate-dependence of a wide variety of anomalous eutectic structures. It has been used to determine the sequence of morphological changes arising in eutectic alloys of Bi-TlBi2, Bi-Sn, Sb-Pb and Sb-InSb. These results are interpreted in terms of the crystal rotation of the rhombohedral phase as the growth rate is increased.