Evidence of screw dislocations on (002) cleavages of lithium carbonate single crystals

Abstract

Well-defined triangular etch pits are produced on etching (002) cleavages of lithium carbonate single crystals with 2% citric acid. On etching of cleavage face and matched face these pits nucleate at the intersection sites of dislocations with the cleavage face. On successive etching of a cleavage face, shallow irregular arrays of pits do not enlarge in size as compared to other isolated pits on the same face. These irregular arrays of pits have reasonable correspondence on an etched match face, suggesting they form at dislocation sites.