The kinetic ordering and growth dissymmetrisation in crystalline solid solutions

The review concerns the order–disorder kinetic (growth) phase transitions, which are characteristic of inorganic crystalline solid solutions. The emphasis is placed on the emergence of metastable low-symmetry phases (i.e., the dissymmetrisation of crystals), which can occur due to the drastic difference between the atomic structures of growing faces and the bulk crystal. The experimental techniques for the elucidation of this phenomenon, possible crystal symmetries and structures induced by the dissymmetrisation as well as the effects of crystal composition, growth medium composition, growth temperature and growth rate are analysed.