First Direct Observation of Impurity Effects on the Growth Rate of Tetragonal Lysozyme Crystals under Microgravity as Measured by Interferometry

The normal growth rates R and apparent step velocities (lateral growth rates of a spiral hillock) V of tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) crystals were for the first time measured by Michelson interferometry in the international space station (as part of the NanoStep project) using commercialized HEWL samples containing 1.5% impurities. A significant increase in V under microgravity was confirmed compared to step velocities Vstep on the...