For example, the SnS thin film exhibits cubic crystal structure when the growth rate is slow while it exhibits orthorhombic crystal structure when the growth rate is fast.
One phase will be a kinetic product and the other will be the thermodynamic product, for example:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs007060170053
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.201100451/abstract (apologies for the shameless self promotion)
To be overly simplistic: one compound forms quickly as it has lower activation energy, but is not the most stable arrangement of the components. A second compound forms more slowly as the activation energy is higher, but the end result is thermodynamically more stable.
Thank you Dr. Laura to answer me. However, the density functional theory of SnS compound demonstrated that the cubic phase is slightly less stable than energetically equivalent orthrohombic phase.
Hmmm, you've got me there.
How do you control the growth rate?
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