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Science 15 March 1991:
Vol. 251. no. 4999, pp. 1343 - 1346
DOI: 10.1126/science.251.4999.1343
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Articles

Atomic Force Microscopy of Atomic-Scale Ledges and Etch Pits Formed During Dissolution of Quartz

A. J. GRATZ 1, S. MANNE 2, and P. K. HANSMA 2

1 Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024
2 Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106

The processes involved in the dissolution and growth of crystals are closely related. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of faceted pits (called negative crystals) formed during quartz dissolution reveals subtle details of these underlying physical mechanisms for silicates. In imaging these surfaces, the AFM detected ledges <1 nanometer (nm) high that were spaced 10 to 90 nm apart. A dislocation pit, invisible to optical and scanning electron microscopy measurements and serving as a ledge source, was also imaged. These observations confirm the applicability of ledge-motion models to dissolution and growth of silicates; coupled with measurements of dissolution rate on facets, these methods provide a powerful tool for probing mineral surface kinetics.

Submitted on September 24, 1990
Accepted on December 28, 1990


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
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A Comparison of Nanometer-Scale Growth and Dissolution Features on Natural and Synthetic Dolomite Crystals: Implications for the Origin of Dolomite.
S. E. Kaczmarek and D. F. Sibley (2007)
Journal of Sedimentary Research 77, 424-432
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Atomic Force Microscopy of the Electrochemical Nucleation and Growth of Molecular Crystals.
A. C. Hillier and M. D. Ward (1994)
Science 263, 1261-1264
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)