Direct observation of grain rotation-induced grain coalescence in two-dimensional colloidal crystals.

A spatially modulated laser is used to produce multiple localized thermal gradients in a colloidal sample placed above a gold surface. We use an optical microscope to observe real time dynamics of the resulting two-dimensional colloidal crystal grains and find that grain rotation-induced grain coalescence (GRIGC) occurs with the rotation of both grains before coalescence. Control over the grain size shows that the time scale for grain boundary annealing in our system is in good agreement with theoretical expressions formulated for nanocrystal growth.