Growth of Submillimeter Copper Dendrites Exhibiting Fivefold Symmetry

Abstract

Cu or α-Cu-Zn dendrites which show the shape of pentamerous flower exhibiting fivefold symmetry are grown by zinc reduction of CuBr at 600°C or thereabouts. Since the morphology of dendrites reflects the symmetry of the growth axis, the growth axis is considered to be a fivefold rotation axis.
The size of large dendrites reaches 120 μm. Such a large metallic crystal exhibiting fivefold symmetry in the morphology has not been observed.