Patent · US Expired

Method for investigating the formation of crystals in a transparent material

US4711697A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
6References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 21, 1985
Grant dateDec 8, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 21, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC30B11/00
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method of observing crystal formation in a transparent specimen (58 of FIG. 5) comprising the steps of melting a portion of the specimen in a heating zone (22 of FIG. 2) freezing the melted portion of the specimen 58 by a cooling zone (20 of FIG. 2) spaced from the heating zone by a gap (42) which is observable by a suitable observing means (30), controlling the temperatures of the heating and cooling zones (22 and 20) to various temperatures to create a variable temperature gradient across the gap (42) so that the freezing isotherm of the specimen (58) always remains in a substantially constant position within the gap (42) where it is observable by the observing means (30), and moving the specimen (58) longitudinally while the temperature gradient is varying.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.