Effect of misorientation angle of grain boundary on the interaction with Σ3 boundary at crystal/melt interface of multicrystalline silicon

Interactions between Sigma 3 grain boundaries (GBs), small-angle GBs (SAGBs), and general GBs at a silicon crystal/melt interface are studied by in situ observation during directional solidification. The interactions exhibit a dependence on the misorientation angle. SAGBs can propagate through Sigma 3 GBs, but this behavior transitions into coalescence with Sigma 3s when the misorientation approaches the limit of a SAGB, i.e. 15 degrees. On the other hand, general GBs show the ability to terminate Sigma 3 GBs continuously. The present findings suggest that the presence of intrinsic dislocations in GBs plays a role in GB interactions.