抄録
A brief historical review is given of the previous studies on the relation between the form and the structure of crystals, on the equilibrium and growth forms, on the relation between dendritic and bulky crystals, on the malformation of external forms, on the habit variations in relation to environmental conditions, on the surface microtopography of crystal faces, and on the morphological stability. It is emphasized that the problem should be studied in relation to crystal growth mechanisms. Considering that the morphology of crystals has been studied in diversed fields of researches, an interdiciplinal co-operation research group was organized and initiated in 1977 with 3 years project to study and discuss the problem. The group consists of 12 members from diversed research fields, and financially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Fundamental Research from the Ministry of Education. Morphology of whiskers, metallic ultra fine particles, crystals grown from solution phases, mineral crystals, snow crystals, surface microtopography of crystal faces and liquid-solid interfaces, morphological stability and theory of morphology of crystals have been studied in relation to crystal growth mechanisms and environmental conditions. This issue reports the results of studies and the activity of the group.
