Nucleation, electric field effects

Finally, and this is likely to be important for nucleation in many cases, the effect of the electric field (Helmholz layer) at the substrate/solution interface in promoting formation of a deposit under conditions where none can form in the solution (described in Sec. 3.3.2) should be considered. Whether or not this occurs, and to what extent, can be experimentally measured. 

Interpretations of the logarithmic laws have been based on the adsorption of reactive species, the effects of electric fields developed across oxide layers, quantum-mechanical tunnelling of electrons through the thin scales, progressive blocking of low-resistance diffusion paths, non-isothermal conditions in the oxide layer, and nucleation and growth processes. A concise summary of these theories has been given by Kofstad. ... 

A method based on exposing a solution of a substrate to a very high, static electric field of -- 500 000 V/m to induce crystallization of a specific polymorph has been described [18] and shown to effect nucleation of the y-polymorph of glycine (Figure 1, 4). The same polymorph has been shown to crystallize selectively when a supersaturated solution of glycine is irradiated with laser light [19], Though currently limited in their application, these methods may likewise find more widespread use in the future. 

Electron-assisted CVD permits the deposition of p-BN films at lower substrate temperatures than the hot filament activation process. The initial nucleation rate is increased by this procedure. Since a d.c. plasma arc can be formed under the influence of the high-electric field, the effect of electron bombardment cannot always be separated from that of the d.c. plasma [53 to 57]. 

The effect of an electric field applied simultaneously during freezing in order to impact nucleation and ice formation. 

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