Ramsteiner, I.B.Jensen, Katharine EstelleWeitz, DavidSpaepen, Frans2010-06-242009Ramsteiner, I.B., Katherine Estelle Jensen, David A. Weitz, and Frans A. Spaepen. 2009. Experimental observation of the crystallization of hard-sphere colloidal particles by sedimentation onto flat and patterned surfaces. Physical Review E 79(011403).1539-3755http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4262332We present a confocal microscopy study of 1.55micrometers monodisperse silica hard spheres as they sediment and crystallize at the bottom wall of a container. If the particles sediment onto a featureless flat wall, the two bottom layers crystallize simultaneously and layerwise growth follows. If the wall is replaced by a hexagonal template, only layerwise growth occurs. Our results complement earlier numerical simulations and experiments on other colloidal systems.en-USJournal Article2010-06-2410.1103/PhysRevE.79.011403