Physically Derived Rulesfor Simulating Faceted Crystal Growth using Cellular Automata

2008/07/16 by Kenneth G. Libbrecht, Libbrecht, Kenneth G.
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Cellular Automata and Applications #FOS: Physical sciences #Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci) #Theoretical and Computational Physics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0807.2616

openalex publication_date 2008/07/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We derive a set of algorithms for simulating the diffusion-limited growth of faceted crystals using local cellular automata. This technique has been shown to work well in reproducing realistic crystal morphologies, and the present work provides a more rigorous physical foundation that connects the numerical code to the physics of attachment kinetics and diffusion dynamics. We then apply these algorithms to examine a novel morphological transition in the growth of thin plate-like crystals.

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