UNIT (5) CRYSTAL PHYsics 54 INTRODUCTION The matter is usually regarded to exist in three states are solids, liquids and gases. Materials differ from one another because of the differences in their properties. All the materials are composed of atoms and molecules. We know that some solids are brittle, some are ductile, some are malleable, some are strong, some are weak, some are good conductors of heat and electricity, some are bad conductors of heat and electricity, some are magnetic, some are non- magnetic and so on. The reason for these different properties of the solids are due to their structures. (i.e.) the behaviour of the solid materials is closely related to ‘he structure of the material. 52 CLASSIFICATION OF SOLIDS _ From the crystal structure point of view, the solids can be classified into two ‘alegories namely (i) Crystalline and , (ii) Non-erystalline (or) Amorphous solids Crystalline solids (or) Crystals . . vatals are tho . Crystalline solids (or) eryst! matic (or) regular pattern. In these materials, se in which the constituent atoms (or) "olecules are arranged in some syste52 Engineering Phyciog ; i ern. T the arrangement of atoms takes « periodically Seay howe at crystalline solids have well defined geometrical form. ( ined faces and angles between them jocos will have'a regular sh Further when erystal breaks, all the broken piece reer shape The crystalline solids have directional properties and therefore they are calle anisotropic substances. A crystalline solids will be in two forms, (i) Single crystal (ii) Poly crystal In a single crystal where the entire solid consists of only one crystal. Those single crystals are produced artificially from their vapour (or) liquid state, In a poly-crystalline material, an aggregate of many small crystals are separated by well defined boundaries. These crystals will have a sharp melting point. Crystalline solids can be made up of metallic erystals (or) non-metallic erystals, The metallic crystals find wide application in engineering because of their strength, conductivity, reflection, ete., Examples Metallic erystals : Copper, Silver, Aluminium, Tungsten ete,, Non-metallic erystals : Germanium, Silicon, Crystalline carbon ete., (ii) Non-crystalline solids (or) Amorphous Non-crystalline solids ( Gr) amorphous solids are those in which the constituent atoms (or) molecules a ‘re not arranged in regular pattern. In other w: y that in amorphous solids the same atomic Groups are arranged randomly in all directions. ay we car These solids have no directional properties and therefore they are called isotropie substances. These amorphous so lids do not have a sharp melting point. Examples : Glass, Plastic and Rubber. Single crystal 1, poly crystalline solids and amorphous solid are illustrated in Fig.(5.1).censtal Physics (a) Crystalline Fig. 5.1 (©) Polycrystalline 5.3 (©) Amorphous Atomic arrangement in solids 5.3 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CRYSTALLINE AND AMORPHOUS SOLID [ SNo. | Crystalline ‘Amorphous 1. | Regular arrangement of atoms —_| Random arrangement of atoms gives defnite and geometric shape. | does not give defnite and | geometrical shape. 2. | They are anisotropic. They are isotropic. 3. | They have sharp melting point. _| They do not have sharp melting pint 4. | They possess internal symmetry. | They do not posses internal | on 5. | Examples :Diamond, NaCl, KCl, | Examples : Glass, plastic, Copper, Iron etc., Rubber ete., Table 5.1 Differences between crystalline and amorphous solid 5.4 CRYSTAL STRUCTURE The arrangement of atoms in the crystal is called crystal structure. It is described in terms of its crystallographic axes and the angles between them. The crystal structure is the basis of understanding the properties of materials. The crystals can exist in a wide range of sizes and the size of the crystal depends upon the rate at which it isformed. The study ofthe geometrical form and other physical properties of crystalline solids is known as crystallography. Fundamental crystallographic terms _ The venue of all erystals is deseribed in terms of lattice with a group of atoms, each in a lattice point. The group is termed as basis. The basis is repeated in space to form the erystal structure. Let us now consider the various Crystallographic terms in detail. | 454 Engineering Physics Lattice - A lattice isa regular and periodic arrangement of atoms in three dimensions A crystal is a collection of atoms in three dimensions. As a matter of convenience, these atoms are taken as points in order to properly study the erystal structure, A three dimensional collection of points in space are called space lattice (or) crystal lattice. Lattice points The points in the space lattice are called lattice points. It denotes the position of regular and periodic arrangement of atoms in the crystal. Fig.(5.2). Fig. 5.2 Lattice points Lattice lines (or) directions The lines joined between the lattice points are called lattice lines (or) lattice directions. Lattice planes A plane containing lattice points is known as a lattice plane (or) atomie plane. (Fig. 5.3) A Ais “|< -— Lattice point Fig. 5.3 Space lattice in three dimensionsof physics E : 55 sl 7 6 risan unit assembly of atoms or molecules the position of lattice points. This unit assem! 0 he basis must be identical in compositi which are identified with respect bly is called basis or pattern, on, wai . » arranger . tho basis is repeated with correct periilicity gement and orientation. whem structure. Therefore a space lattice ig combi egal cratore. (Fig 5-4) n all directions gives the actual ined with a basis to get a crystal | ee 8 ee 500 ee eee 26400 ] +O s ° . bl o * eo 8 8 ee ° 2% 9 4 ae O99 (a) Space lattice (b) Basis (c crystal structure Fig. 5.4 Crystal structure Space lattice + Basis = Crystal structure Inthe above figure the basis represents each lattice points where two atoms (one bigger circle and another small circle) are associated with one lattice point represented by a black dot. The number of atoms in the basis for most of the metals such 2s Aluminium and Barium is one. In NaC! and KCI it is two atoms and in CaP, it is three. In certain complicated structures it may be even greater than 1000 atoms. 55 UNIT CELL The unit cell is defined as the smalle Which in three dimension will give the actual crystal structure. st geometric figure, the repetition of mental elementary pattern or building block of Iti a is also defined as the funda ich represents all the Minimum atoms, molecules (or) group of molecules wh th > “acteristics of the crystal. 'n order to understand the idea of ¥ thy ‘tal lattice as shown in Fig.(5.5). nit cell consider a two dimensionalEngineering Physics ES AoB / . i ion ~ 5 1 in two dimenst eeaileey any Fig. 5.5 Unit cel eneaeenee hen a parallelogram such as ABCD is r It is found when a ing to AB and i responding Itiple of vectors a and 5, the basis vectors “val ccpchal may tilts be sfc ‘od i. tter or array may be obtained (i.c.) the whol one nenssnes The ion ABCD is called a unit cell and the choic oer reproduced. The region hae en a It can be constructed into number of ways like’ Bi be erandd ean 5) wi hout affecting symmetry of the crystal. This can 5.5) without dimension also as shown in. (Fig. 5.6). AT] Fig. 5.6 Unit cell in three dimension Lattice parameters of a unit cell The parameters of a unit cell is defined by both intercepts (a, b, ¢) and interfacial angles (u, 6,7). 7) band OC = C determines the edges of the unit cell, The ay interfacial angle (Fig.5.7), The angle between the a The angle between the a, The angle between the xis Y and Z = "ls Zand X = g axis X andy aysles 57 eval shape and size of the unit cell can be determined by knowing th ig the a) ‘ stereos and interfacial angles, sof 8 al yy Z Fig. 5.7 Lattice parameters of a unit cell primitive cell [tis defined as unit cell which contains lattice points at corner only, (or) Itis lest type of unit cell contains only one lattice point per unit cell. e simp srample : Simple cubic (SC) ongrimitive cell Ifthere are more than one lattice pointin a unitell, itis called anon-primitive el. Example : BCC and FCC contains more than one lattice point per unit cell. 46 CRYSTAL SYSTEMS Crystals are classified into seven crystal systems on the basis of lattice rameters. The seven basic crystal systems are i. Cubie system ii, Tetragonal system iii, Orthorhombic system Monoclinic system \ ‘Triclinie system . Rhombchedral (or) ‘Trigonal system h Hexagonal system he seven erystal systems are discussed briefly one by one as follows. vi vii.