Theory of impurity induced step pinning and recovery in crystal growth from solutions

We extend the terrace-step-kink model of crystal growth to impure solutions where the impurities act as barriers to step motion. The effects of supersaturation, step curvature, step repulsions, and impurities on step motion are treated in a unified free energy framework. The model reproduces several features seen in experiments on growth of potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals, wherein a dead zone at low supersaturations and a recovery of crystal growth by motion of large coherent step bunches at larger supersaturations are observed. We identify a key feature of solution growth that leads to these effects.