Crystallization monitoring by thermal-lens spectrometry

Abstract

This work considers the application of thermal-lens spectrometry to the monitoring of the crystallization processes in aqueous solutions. Formation of a crystalline germ in a previously homogeneous medium drastically changes the heat and mass transfer along the laser beam path; thus, affecting both equilibrium and time-resolved thermal-lens phenomena. It is shown that long-term oscillations of the steady-state thermal-lens signal could be associated with the formation and growth of the crystal germ. The preliminary estimation of the minimal germ size detectable from this data gives the limit at the level of 300 nm. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd.