Effect of impurities on the processes of crystal growth

The influence of impurities inherently present in growth media and deliberately added to them on crystal growth is manifested during the process of crystallization in a number of ways. Impurities change growth rates, shape and thickness of growth layers and growth habit, and are trapped as impurity striations and large clusters of impurities and inhomogeneities. Some of these effects of impurities are reviewed for growth of bulk single crystals.