A scanning electron microscope captured this image of the transition from linear
to helical growth in a boron carbide structure built up through a process
known as vapor-liquid-solid growth mode. A small perturbation disturbed
the droplet responsible for depositing material as it passed the point
labeled B, transforming the nanowire into a nanospring.
Reported by D.N. McIlroy,
D. Zhang, Y. Kranov, and M. Grant Norton, Applied Physics Letters,
3 September 2001.
Associated
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