Abstract
Metallic whisker crystals were found to grow on the electron-emitting region of a pointed field cathode when it was operated in a vacuum containing metal carbonyl vapors. Metal ions are produced by collisions of carbonyl molecules with field electrons and the rapid growth of the whiskers is controlled by the supply of metal ions to the electron-emitting area. The crystals are basically monocrystalline, and the evidence obtained indicates that they do not contain an axial screw dislocation emerging at their growing tip.

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