KDP crystal growth from solution studied with "diffrasor" technique

The growth of KDP crystals from solution is studied in coherent light with an optical apparatus called Diffrasor, It is aimed to study interface phenomena during crystal growth from fluid phases, mostly from solution. It provides data about concentration gradients inside the fluid by measuring the deflection occurring to a laser beam which crosses the solution during crystal growth. It may investigate layers of fluid over the crystal faces, as thin as 2 microns. Diffrasor improves the knowledge about the boundary layer and the intermediate state of matter between the completely fluid solution and the fully solid crystal. Besides, this apparatus is simple enough to be devoted also to material sciences research in microgravity.