1994 Volume 17 Issue 4 Pages 158-169
Growth layers with mono-molecular and macroscopic step heights have been revealed for the first time on the (0001) surface of ilmenite crystals grown in a magma, occurring in the Aso-4 pyroclastic flow sediment. This successful observation was due to the leaching and dissolving the volcanic glass with diluted HF and HCl solution. The presence of such growth steps have also been ensured by the observations with the immersion liquid. All the observed growth steps are circular, but the ratios of step separation to step height are in the order of 102 in both thin and thick steps. The thinner step has a height of the unit cell dimension. This indicates that the magmatic ilmenite grew by the ordered Ti and Fe layer.