Mechanism of a morphology transition in ramified electrochemical growth

Abstract

RAMIFIED patterns are common in nature, and have been much studied in the context of non-equilibrium growth and aggregation phenomena1-4. Processes that are known to produce ramified growth may lead to a range of morphologies, depending on experimental parameters such as growth speed. The mechanism of the transitions between different morphologies is not fully understood1-4. Electrochemical deposition of ramified deposits 5-29 is often regarded as a model system for studying two-dimensional pattern formation. Here we present experimental results which allow us to propose a mechanism for the transition between fractal-like, ramified growth and rectilinear, filamentary growth of electrodeposits. We show that electroconvection of the metal ions in solution induces physical displacements of the growing branches, which results in fanning and splitting of the tips. At sufficiently high growth speeds, breaking of the symmetry with which this fanning occurs can lead to a change in growth morphology. We suggest that mechanical motions and disturbances may play a role in other pattern-forming systems. © 1994 Nature Publishing Group.