CRYSTAL

“A crystal is a solid in which atoms are arranged in

some regular repetition pattern in all directions.”

“Aggregation of molecules with a definite internal

structure and the external form of a solid enclosed
by symmetrically arranged plane faces.”

STRUCTURES

“Structure of anything is defined as the framework of

its body.”
Crystal = Lattice+Base
Motif or basis:
Typically an atom or a group of atoms associated with
each lattice point.

Lattice  The underlying periodicity of the crystal

Basis  Entity associated with each lattice points

Lattice Crystal
Translationally periodic Translationally periodic
arrangement of points. arrangement of motifs.
Crystal = Lattice (Where to repeat)
+
Motif (What to repeat)

Crystal
a
=
Lattice
a
+
Motif Note: all parts of the motif do not sit on the lattice
a point
2
Let us construct the crystal considered before starting with an
infinite array of points spaced a/2 apart

Put arrow marks pointing up and down alternately on the points:

What we get is a crystal of lattice parameter „a‟ and not „a/2‟!

And the
motif
is: +
 A strict 1D crystal = 1D lattice + 1D motif
 The only kind of 1D motif is a line segment.

 An unit cell is a representative unit of the structure

(finite part of a infinite structure) .
 Which when repeated gives the whole structure.

Lattice

+
Motif
=

Crystal
  2D crystal = 2D lattice + 2D motif

Lattice

+ 
Motif

b

a
 Crystal

      
      
      
=       
      
      
      
      
 3D crystal = 3D lattice + 3D motifs

CRYSTAL OR SPACE LATTICE

 It is defined as an array of points in 3 dimensions

in which every point has surroundings identical to
every other point in array.

According to BRAVAIS there are 14 possible types

of space lattice in 7 basic crystal system
 a = b= c
= = = 90º

• Simple Cubic (P) - SC

• Body Centred Cubic (I) – BCC
• Face Centred Cubic (F) - FCC

 Elements with Cubic structure →

SC: F, O
BCC: Cr, Fe, Nb, K, W
FCC: Al, Ar, Pb, Ni, Ge
 SIMPLE CUBIC STRUCTURE

• Cubic unit cell is 3D repeat unit

• Rare (only Po has this structure)
• Coordination No. = 6
(# nearest neighbors)
 a
R=0.5a

close-packed directions
contains 8 x 1/8 =
1 atom/unit cell
Adapted from Fig. 3.19,
Callister 6e.

0.52
Lattice constant
• APF for a simple cubic structure =
BODY CENTERED CUBIC STRUCTURE

• Coordination No. = 8
(# nearest neighbors)
 Unit cell c ontains:
1 + 8 x 1/8
= 2 atoms/unit cell
R
Adapted from a
Fig. 3.2,
Callister 6e.

• APF for a body-centered cubic structure = 3/8 = 0.68

 FACE CENTERED CUBIC STRUCTURE

 Atoms are arranged at the corners and center

of each cube face of the cell.
◦ Atoms are assumed to touch along face diagonals
• Coordination No. = 12
(# nearest neighbors)
 Unit cell c ontains:
6 x 1/2 + 8 x 1/8
= 4 atoms/unit cell
a

• APF for a body-centered cubic structure = /(3 2) = 0.74

• FCC Unit Cell

• ABCABC... Stacking Sequence

• 2D Projection
A
B B
C
A
A sites B B B
C C
B sites B B
C sites
Ideally, c/a = 1.633 for close packing
However, in most metals, c/a ratio deviates from this valu
• ABAB... Stacking Sequence

• 3D Projection • 2D Projection

A sites

B sites

A sites

• Coordination NO.= 12
• APF = 0.74, for ideal c/a ratio of 1.633
 Close packed crystals

A plane
B plane

C plane

A plane
…ABCABCABC… packing …ABABAB… packing
[Face Centered Cubic (FCC)] [Hexagonal Close Packing (HCP)]
 Examples of elements with Cubic Crystal Structure

Fe Cu
Po

n = 2 BCC n = 4 FCC/CCP
n = 1 SC

n = 8 DC
C (diamond)
 a=b c
= = = 90º

 Simple Tetragonal
 Body Centred Tetragonal -BCT

 Elements with Tetragonal structure → In, Sn

Example of an element with Body Centred Tetragonal Crystal Structure

B
C
T
 a b c
= = = 90º
 Simple Orthorhombic
 Body Centred Orthorhombic
 Face Centred Orthorhombic
 End Centred Orthorhombic

Elements with Orthorhombic structure → Br, Cl, Ga

Element with Orthorhombic Crystal Structure
 a=b c
= = 90º
=120º

Simple Hexagonal
 Elements with Hexagonal structure → Be, Cd, Co, Ti, Zn
Element with Hexagonal Crystal Structure
 a=b=c
= = 90º

Rhombohedral (simple)
Elements with Trigonal structure → As, B, Bi, Hg
Element with Simple Trigonal Crystal Structure
 a b c
= = 90º

 Simple Monoclinic
 End Centred (base centered) Monoclinic

Elements with Monoclinic structure → P, Pu, Po

a b c

• Simple Triclinic
14 Bravais Lattices divided into 7 Crystal Systems
A Symmetry based concept „Translation‟ based concept

Crystal System Shape of UC Bravais Lattices

P I F C
1 Cubic Cube   
2 Tetragonal Square Prism (general height)  
3 Orthorhombic Rectangular Prism (general height)    
4 Hexagonal 120 Rhombic Prism 
5 Trigonal Parallopiped (Equilateral, Equiangular) 
6 Monoclinic Parallogramic Prism  
7 Triclinic Parallopiped (general) 

P Primitive
I Body Centred
F Face Centred
C A/B/C- Centred
Face Centred Cubic (FCC) Lattice Two Carbon atom Motif
(0,0,0) & (¼, ¼, ¼)

+
=

Diamond Cubic Crystal