| TECHNOLOGY |
They first fabricate 2-D ordered array of asymmetric microwells in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) surface. When the wells are filled with soln of material to be crystallized, the asymmetry of the wells forces crystallization to begin at a specific point in the wells & directs the orientation of the crystal. The resulting array of microcrystals can then be encapsulated in a transparent polymer that protects the crystals & allows them to be handled. Both inorg. & org. microcrystal arrays have been fabricated. Soln concn controls the size of the microcrystals, which can have lateral dimensions as small as 400 nm. The authors expect the technique to be useful in studying fundamental aspects of nucleation & crystal growth, as well as providing a practical method to produce materials for data storage & communication
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