believed that the protrusion will become longer (and thinner at the tip) until the effect of interfacial free energy in raising the chemical potential slows the tip growth and maintains a constant value for the tip thickness. In the subsequent tip-thickening process, there should be a corresponding instability of shape. Minor bumps or "bulges" should be exaggerated — and develop into rapidly growing side branches. In such an unstable (or metastable) situation, minor degrees of anisotropy should be sufficient to determine directions of significant branching and growth. The most appealing aspect of this argument, of course, is that it yields the primary morphological features of dendritic growth. See also Abnormal grain growth Chvorinov's rule Cloud condensation nuclei Crystal structure Czochralski process Dendrite (metal) Diana's Tree Fractional crystallization Ice nucleus Laser-heated pedestal growth Manganese nodule Micro-pulling-down Monocrystalline whisker Protocrystalline Recrystallization (chemistry) Seed crystal Single crystal Whisker (metallurgy) Simulation Kinetic Monte Carlo surface growth method References Crystallography Crystals Materials science Mineralogy Articles containing video clips