Crystals don't 'grow' from stone: How molecules line up in neat rows

After the solution is supersaturated or the melt cools down, a small number of particles will first form stable small clusters. They become crystal nuclei, attracting more particles to align themselves in specific directions.

Slow cooling or slow evaporation can give particles more time to find a suitable position, which is often beneficial to obtaining larger crystals with fewer defects.

Pharmaceutical crystal forms, semiconductor wafers and battery cathode materials all rely on precise crystal structures. Different crystal forms of the same chemical formula may also have different properties.