Historical aspects of crystal growth technology

The father of crystal fabrication technology is A. Verneuil with his flame-fusion growth method 1902. His principles of nucleation and growth control are adapted in most later growth methods from melt. The Czochralski method was essentially developed by Teal, Little and Dash. The multidisciplinary nature of crystal growth and epitaxy technology and the complex multiparameter processes, and also the scaling problem, have impeded the scientific development of this important area. Only recently it was possible to solve the striation problem and to understand the control of epitaxial growth modes for achieving structurally perfect layers of GaAs and high-T-c superconductors with atomically flat surfaces. The formation of crystal growth and epitaxy engineers and scientists as well as centers of excellence are necessary in order to develop crystal and epilayer fabrication technologies required for development of highest-efficiency white Light-emitting diodes and photovoltaic solar cells for energy-saving lighting and as alternative source of energy. Also laser-fusion energy and other high technologies have to wait for progress in crystal growth technology. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.