Entropic crystal growth theory,

The entropic barrier theory has spawned a plethora of computer simulation studies (97-102). For example, simulations by Doye and Frenkel (100) led to the finding that it is unfavorable for a stem to be shorter than /min, the minimum thickness for which the crystal is thermodynamically more stable than the melt. They find instead that the lamellar thickness converges to a value just larger than as the crystal grows. This value is at the maximum rate of crystal growth. 

Figure 6.33 Crystallization according to the entropic barrier theory, (a) Representation of a lamellar crystal, showing stems (chain direction vertical) and a step in the growth face. The inset provides a description of the step in terms of units that are shorter than the length of the surface nucleation theory (one molecule making up a whole stem). The dotted lines indicate where the row of stems in (b) is imagined to occur, (b) The basic row of stems model, showing mers along the chains as cubes, chain direction vertical, as in (a).

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