DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and Crystallization Directional Solidification Insert-Reflight

The main objective of the DSI-R investigation was to quantitatively establish the fundamental physics controlling the spatiotemporal organization of the secondary sidebranch structure and its interaction with the array structure of primary branches under directional solidification conditions. This investigation particularly focused on the origin of sidebranches that occur when columnar solidification patterns transform from cellular to dendritic as a function of thermal gradient and solidification velocity and study the potential for the formation of an intermediate multiplet pattern. The dynamics and stability of cellular and dendritic growth patterns, and the relationship between the tip geometry and growth pattern were also to be investigated as well. This intent of this investigation was to directly address outstanding issues that remain open in the understanding of complex dendritic microstructures.