MSi2/Si(111) (M = Co, Ni) crystallographic interface structure influenced metal-induced lateral crystallization (MILC) significantly. MILC growth with Ni, wherein only half the Si atoms in NiSi2 are required to change positions, was preferred to that with Co, where all the Si atoms in CoSi2 are required to change positions, which was corroborated by the experimental result. In case of pure Ni, unidirectional growth of the MILC needlelike grain at the front of MILC region became dominant and the bi-directional division was restrained. The so-called "Ni ion Ni vacancy hopping model" was modified by adding metal atom migration into the a-Si region, before Si atom adsorption at the MSi2/a-Si interface. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.