Buy article online - an online subscription or single-article purchase is required to access this article.
Download citation
Download citation
link to html
We present a novel phase-shifting interferometry technique for investigations of the unsteady kinetics and the formation of spatio-temporal patterns during the protein crystallization. We applied this technique to the ferritin crystal growth, which is controlled by the rate of supply of material. We find strong fluctuations of growth rate, step density and step velocity due to passage of step bunches. The fluctuation amplitudes decrease with higher supersaturation and larger crystal size, as well as with increasing distance from the step sources. Since these are parameters affecting the solute supply field, we conclude that fluctuations are rooted in the coupling of the interfacial processes of growth to the bulk transport in the solution. Analysis of the step velocity dependence on local slope indicates a very weak interaction between the steps. Hence, in diffusion-controlled systems with non-interacting or weakly interacting steps the stable growth mode is that via equidistant step trains, and randomly arising step bunches decay.

Subscribe to Acta Crystallographica Section D: Biological Crystallography

The full text of this article is available to subscribers to the journal.

If you have already registered and are using a computer listed in your registration details, please email support@iucr.org for assistance.

Buy online

You may purchase this article in PDF and/or HTML formats. For purchasers in the European Community who do not have a VAT number, VAT will be added at the local rate. Payments to the IUCr are handled by WorldPay, who will accept payment by credit card in several currencies. To purchase the article, please complete the form below (fields marked * are required), and then click on `Continue'.
E-mail address* 
Repeat e-mail address* 
(for error checking) 

Format*   PDF (US $40)
In order for VAT to be shown for your country javascript needs to be enabled.

VAT number 
(non-UK EC countries only) 
Country* 
 

Terms and conditions of use
Contact us

Follow Acta Cryst. D
Sign up for e-alerts
Follow Acta Cryst. on Twitter
Follow us on facebook
Sign up for RSS feeds