LET US MAKE SOME CRYSTALS

 Constructing crystals in 1D, 2D & 3D

 Understanding them using the language of:
 Lattices
 Symmetry MATERIALS SCIENCE
Part of & AALearner’s Guide
Learner’s Guide
ENGINEERING
AN INTRODUCTORY E-BOOK
Anandh Subramaniam & Kantesh Balani
Materials Science and Engineering (MSE)
Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur- 208016
Email: anandh@iitk.ac.in, URL: home.iitk.ac.in/~anandh
http://home.iitk.ac.in/~anandh/E-book.htm

Additional consultations http://cst-www.nrl.navy.mil/lattice/index.html

Spend some time in lower dimensional (1D & 2D) crystals before going to 3D crystals.
This will help in the understanding of the ‘concepts’ involved.

 In this section we will deal with some ‘model’ examples. These examples have sometimes
been chosen to give a ‘startling effect’ (so that the essential points are ‘driven home’).

1D
Making a 1D Crystal
 Some of the concepts are best illustrated in lower dimensions  hence we shall construct
some 1D and 2D crystals before jumping into 3D.
 A strict 1D crystal = 1D lattice + 1D motif. There is only one kind of a 1D lattice.
 The only kind of 1D entity, which can contribute to a motif is the line segment (or a
collection of line segments). Though in principle a collection of points can be included.
 There are only two types of crystals in 1D (for now restricting ourselves to Euclidean space) (true 1D where the
lattice and motif both are 1D).
 Crystal-1 with ‘m’ symmetry
 Crystal-2 with only ‘t’. (as in upcoming slide)

Lattice

+
Motif
=

Crystal

It has been shown that in real systems 1D crystals cannot be stable!!

Other ways of making the same crystal
 We had mentioned before that motifs need not sit on the lattice point- they are
merely associated with a lattice point.
 Here is an example:

 There will always be strange ways of associating motif with lattice

 usually we chose the ‘most natural way’.

A ‘natural way’

Other ‘strange’ ways

of associating motif with
lattice point

Has been associated with

This lattice point This motif
Crystals in 1D
 There are only two types of crystals in 1D (note that classification of crystals is based on symmetry): 1, m
 crystal with ‘m’ (& ofcourse ‘t’) (in effect there are two mirrors: m0 & m½)  t m1 m2 (t m0 m½)
 crystal with only ‘t’ (i.e. only 1-fold) (Basically no symmetry apart from ‘t’)  t Note that the motif has a
mirror plane in the middle
Crystal-1
Two mirror points Motif
(extended for better visibility-
planes become points in 1D !!)

m1 m2 m0 m½
Note: the mirror plane of the lattice has been made to coincide with that of the motif
(this is a preferred way of ‘doing things’!!).

This motif does not have a

‘vertical mirror’
Crystal-2 Motif

1 (with only t)
Note that in 1D the action of a mirror is equivalent to that of a inversion centre is equivalent to that of a
2-fold axis. Click here to know more
Note:
For illustration purposes we will often relax this strict requirement of a 1D motif.
 We will put 2D motifs on 1D lattice to get many of the useful concepts across.
These are called ‘frieze patterns’ (note the spelling of frieze). Note the periodicity is still in 1D.
 We could also use 3D entities as a motif to decorate the 1D lattice.
 The periodicity in all these cases (where the lattice is 1D) remain in one dimension.

1D lattice +
2D Motif*

Each of these atoms contributes ‘half-atom**’ to the unit cell

An example of a ‘frieze pattern’: artisans have used such patters in various architectures.

The lattice points are at the centres of the red patterns (i.e. alternate black dot).
We will see more such examples (from a symmetry point of view) in the coming slides (albeit not as creative as the ones made by artisans)
* the circles look like 3D due to the shading!
** needless to say these are not ‘atoms’
 Time to brush-up some symmetry concepts before going ahead

Lattices have the highest symmetry

In the coming slides we
will understand this
(Which is allowed for it)
IMPORTANT point
 Crystals based on the lattice
can have lower symmetry

If any of the coming 7 slides make you a little uncomfortable – you can skip them
(however, they might look difficult – but they are actually easy)
 As we had pointed out we can understand some of the concepts of crystallography better by
‘putting’ 2D motifs on a 1D lattice. These kinds of patterns are called Frieze groups and
there are 7 types of them (based on symmetry).

Progressive lowering of symmetry in an 1D lattice illustration using the frieze groups

Consider a 1D lattice with lattice parameter ‘a’

Asymmetric
Unit cell Unit

a
 Asymmetric Unit is that part of the structure (region of space), which in combination with
the symmetries (Space Group) of the lattice/crystal gives the complete structure (either the
lattice or the crystal)
(though typically the concept is used for crystals only) The concept of the
Asymmetric Unit will
become clear in the
coming slides
The unit cell is a line segment in 1D  shown with a finite ‘y-direction’ extent for clarity and for understating
some of the crystals which are coming-up
This 1D lattice has some symmetries apart from translation. The complete set is:
 Translation (t)
 Horizontal Mirror (mh)
 Vertical Mirror at Lattice Points (mv1)
 Vertical Mirror between Lattice Points (mv2)
Note:
 The symmetry operators (t, mv1, mv2) are enough to generate the lattice
 But, there are some redundant symmetry operators which develop due to their operation
 In this example they are 2-fold axis or Inversion Centres (and for that matter mh)

t mh mv1 mv2 Or more concisely mmm

mh

mmm

The intersection points of the mirror planes

Three mirror planes mv1 mv2 give rise to redundant inversion centres (i)

mirror
 Note of Redundant Symmetry Operators

t
mmm

Three mirror planes Redundant inversion centres

Redundant 2-fold axes

 It is true that some basic set of symmetry operators (set-1) can generate the structure (lattice or crystal)
 It is also true that some more symmetry operators can be identified which were not envisaged in the basic set
 (called ‘redundant’)
 But then, we could have started with different set of operators (set-2) and call some of the operators used in set-1 as
redundant
  the lattice has some symmetries  which we call basic and which we call redundant is up to us!

How do these symmetries create this lattice?

mirror Click here to see how symmetry operators generate the 1D lattice
 Asymmetric Unit

 We have already seen that Unit Cell is the least part of the structure which can be used to
construct the structure using translations (only).
 Asymmetric Unit is that part of the structure (usually a region of space), which in
combination with the symmetries (Space Group) of the lattice/crystal gives the complete
structure (either the lattice or the crystal) (though typically the concept is used for crystals only)
 Simpler phrasing: It is the least part of the structure (region of space) which can be used to build the
structure using the symmetry elements in the structure (Space Group)

Asymmetric Unit

+ mv2 + mh
Lattice point
Which is the
Unit Cell

Unit cell
If we had started with the asymmetric unit of a crystal
then we would have obtained a crystal instead of a lattice
Lattice t +
Decoration of the lattice with a motif  may reduce the symmetry of the crystal
The crystals obtained by the decoration of a 1D lattice (i.e. with 1D periodicity) with a 2D
motif gives rise to patterns, which are historically known as frieze patterns.

t
1 mmm

Decoration with a “sufficiently” symmetric motif does not reduce the symmetry of the lattice
Instead of the double headed arrow we could have used a circle (most symmetrical object possible in 2D)

t
2 mm

Decoration with a motif which is a ‘single headed arrow’ will lead to the loss of 1 mirror plane

mirror
 Lattice points
t
3 g mg

Not a lattice point

Presence of 1 mirror plane and 1 glide reflection plane, with a redundant inversion centre
the translational symmetry has been reduced to ‘2a’

t
4 ii

2 inversion centres

mirror glide reflection

 t
5
m
1 mirror plane

t
6 g g

1 glide reflection translational symmetry of ‘2a’

7 t

No symmetry except translation

mirror glide reflection
 2D

Video: Making 2D crystal using discs

Video: Making 2D crystal using discs
Making a 2D Crystal
 Some aspects we have already seen in 1D  but 2D many more concepts can be
understood in 2D.
 2D crystal = 2D lattice + 2D motif.
 As before we can relax this requirement and put 1D or 3D motifs!

 We shall make various crystals starting with a 2D lattice and putting motifs and we shall
analyze the crystal which has thus been created.
 In many of the examples which follow we will use the square lattice as an illustrative
starting point. We will progressively decorate the lattice with motifs of lower and lower
symmetry.
 The square lattice has 4mm symmetry.
 The important point to be noted (which can be a cause for considerable confusion) is that
the adjective/term in front of a lattice or a crystal (e.g. a square lattice or a rectangle
crystal), denotes the symmetry of the structure and not any shape or geometry (i.e. not the
shape of the unit cell).
 I.e. the term square refers to the presence of at least a 4-fold axis and the term rectangle
refers to the presence of m or 2mm symmetry.
 Based on symmetry there are 10 types of crystals possible in 2D:
Square (4mm, 4); Rectangle (2mm, m); Hexagonal (6mm, 6, 3m, 3); Parallelogram (2, 1).
Note that 3 & 3m point groups fall under the hexagonal class.
Continued
Example-1 Square Lattice Note that this is a ‘patch’ of an infinite lattice

+ Circle Motif

Square Crystal

Mirrors not included in the figure

Note that this is a ‘patch’ of an infinite crystal

Continued…
 Square Lattice

Circle has infinity ()

symmetry at the centre

+ Circle Motif

Square Crystal

Symmetry of the lattice and 4mm

crystal identical
 Square Crystal

Including mirrors
4mm
Continued…
Important Note

Symmetry of the Motif > Symmetry of the lattice

Hence Symmetry of the lattice and Crystal identical

(symmetry of the lattice is preserved)
 Square Crystal

Symmetry of the Motif

 Any fold rotational axis allowed! (through the centre of the circle)
 Mirror in any orientation passing through the centre allowed!
 Centre of inversion at the centre of the circle
Funda Check  What do the ‘adjectives’ like square mean in
the context of the lattice, crystal etc?

 Let us consider the square lattice and square crystal as before.

 In the case of the square lattice → the word square refers to the symmetry of the lattice
(and not the geometry of the unit cell!).
 In the case of the square crystal → the word square refers to the symmetry of the crystal
(and not the geometry of the unit cell!)
Example-2

Square Lattice + Square Motif = Square Crystal

Unlike the case of the circle,

we have to specify the
orientation of the square
(when used as a motif)

Continued…
 Important Note Symmetry of the Motif = Symmetry of the lattice

Hence Symmetry of the lattice

and Crystal identical
4mm
 Square Crystal
4 m v md mv
Symmetry of the Motif md

 4mm symmetry

If the
Important Rule Symmetry of the Motif  Symmetry of the Lattice*
The Symmetry of the lattice and the Crystal are identical
i.e. Symmetry of the lattice is NOT lowered  but is preserved
Common surviving symmetry determines the crystal system
* This could be phrased in the language of subsets
Example-3
 In a the above example we are assuming that the square is favourably oriented. And that
there are symmetry elements common to the lattice and the motif.
 In the current example, we rotate the square (motif) by an arbitrary angle before decorating
the square lattice.
 The lattice and motif both have 4mm symmetry, but due to the rotation of the square only
the 4-fold axes survive. Due to the presence of this 4-fold this kind of crystal is classfied
under the ‘square class’.

Square Lattice + Square Motif = Square Crystal

Rotated

Rotated by an arbitrary angle 4

(not 45 or 90)
Funda Check  How do we understand the crystal made out of
rotated squares?

 Is the lattice square → YES (it has 4mm symmetry)

 Is the crystal square → YES (but it has 4 symmetry → since it has at least a 4-fold
rotation axis- we classify it under square crystal- we could have called it a square’ crystal
or something else as well!)
 Is the ‘preferred’ unit cell square → YES (it has square geometry)
 Is the motif a square → YES (just so happens in this example- though rotated wrt to the
lattice)
Infinite other choices of unit cells are possible →
click here to know more
Example-4 Note: the motif is not just the
shape here, but also its

Square Lattice orientation (w.r.t the lattice).

+
Triangle Motif
= Square Crystal

Rectangle Crystal*

Symmetry of the lattice and

crystal different
 NOT a Square Crystal
Isn’t this amazing  square lattice with a
m triangle motif giving a rectangle crystal!

Here the word square does not imply the shape in the usual sense

* This can also be called pseudo-square crystal (as the geometry is square, but the
symmetry is ‘rectangular’. (Similarly in 3D we can have pseudo-cubic, etc.) Continued…
Symmetry of the structure Only one set of parallel mirrors left

This crystal does NOT have a centre of inversion!

For this crystal the ‘up’ direction is not the same as
the ‘down’ direction. ([0 1]  [0 1]).

m
m0 m½

Actually, there are two set of mirrors m½ & m0.

Important Note
Symmetry of the Motif < Symmetry of the lattice
 Mirror
 3-fold

The symmetry of the motif determines the symmetry of the crystal  it is lowered to
match the symmetry of the motif (common symmetry elements between the lattice and
motif  which survive) (i.e. the crystal structure has only the symmetry of the motif left:
even though the lattice started of with a higher symmetry)
 Rectangle Crystal (has no 4-folds but has mirror)
Note that the word ‘Rectangle’ denotes the symmetry of the
crystal and NOT the shape of the UC

If the
Important Rule Symmetry of the Motif < Symmetry of the Lattice
The Symmetry of the lattice and the Crystal are NOT identical

i.e. Symmetry of the lattice is lowered

 with only common symmetry elements
Funda Check  How do we understand the crystal made out of
triangles?

 Is the lattice square → YES (it has 4mm symmetry).***

 Is the crystal square → NO (it has only m symmetry → hence it is a rectangle crystal).
 Is the unit cell square → YES (it has square geometry & the unit cell by itself has 4mm
symmetry) (we have already noted that other shapes of unit cells are also possible) (Lattice parameters: a=b, =90).
 Is the motif a square → NO (it is a triangle!).

Funda Check  ***Is the underlying lattice really a square lattice?

 Well! This is a tough one!

 In reality the underlying lattice cannot be viewed in isolation and should be looked at in
the context of the crystal being considered.
 Viewed in isolation it is a square lattice, in the context it may be called a rectangle lattice!
Example-5

Square Lattice + Triangle Motif = Parallelogram Crystal

Rotated Also called Oblique Crystal

Rotated by an arbitrary angle

(not 45 or 90)

Crystal has No symmetry except translational symmetry as there are no symmetry elements
common to the lattice and the motif (given its orientation)

* As before this is a pseudo-square crystal (as the geometry of the unit cell is square, but the
symmetry is that belonging to the parallogram class.
Some more
twists
Example-6 Square Lattice

+ Random shaped Motif

In Single Orientation

= Square Crystal

Parallelogram (Oblique)
Crystal

Symmetry of the lattice and

crystal different
 NOT Square Crystal

Except translation
Example-7 Square Lattice

+ Random shaped Object

Randomly oriented at each point

= Square Crystal

Amorphous Material
(Glass)

Symmetry of the lattice and

crystal different
 NOT even a Crystal
Note the
orientational
disorder
Funda Check  Is there not some kind of order visible in the
amorphous structure considered before? How
can understand this structure then?

 YES, there is positional order but no orientational order.

 If we ignore the orientational order (e.g. if the entities are rotating constantly- and the
above picture is a time ‘snapshot’- then the time average of the motif is ‘like a circle’).
(This is like a fan with three blades, but when rotating fast it looks like a circle  the
identity of the blades is lost in the ‘blurred’ picture).

 Hence, this structure can be considered to be a ‘crystal’ with positional order, but
without orientational order! Click here to know more
Click here to know more
 Summary of 2D Crystals Click here to see a summary of 2D lattices that these crystals are built on

Crystal Highest Other

At least Lattice Parameters
[Order of the point Symmetry symmetries
group is in the brackets]
(symmetry) (of conventional unit cell)
Possible possible
1. Square 4mm [8] 4 [4] 4 (a = b ,  = 90)
2. Rectangle m
2mm [4] m [2] (but no higher than 2- (a  b,  = 90)
(Rectangular) fold)

3. 120 Rhombus 6 [6],

6mm [12] 3 (a = b,  = 120)
(Hexagonal) 3m [6], 3 [3] Note ‘3’ is part of
hexagonal
4. Parallelogram
2 1 - (a  b,  general value)
(Oblique)

Point Group Symmetry Present Lattice Type Unit Cell Shape

4 crystal systems Single Combinations

in 2D
1, 2 Parallelogram Parallelogram
Rectangle
m 2mm Rectangle
Centred Rectangle
4 4mm Square Square
3, 6 3m, 6mm 120 Rhombus 120 Rhombus
 Q&A Make a crystal having only 2-fold symmetry.
Let us consider an example of two options to understand the underlying concepts.
 Option-1: Take a
(i) square or and decorate it with a ‘rotated rectangle’ as the motif.
(i.e. take a high symmetry lattice and lower the symmetry by using the motif).
(ii) rectangle lattice and decorate it with a ‘rotated rectangle’ as the motif.
(i.e. start with a lower symmetry lattice and use a motif so as to retain only the2-fold).

 Option-2: Take a parallelogram lattice and decorate it with a circle.

(i.e. take a low symmetry lattice (only with a 2-fold) and retain its symmetry with a high symmetry motif).

1(i
1(ii
)
) 2
 Q&A Describe the crystal in the figure below. The lattice parameters are a = b,  = 90.
 In the absence of the motif the lattice is a square lattice (simple square lattice, UC at 45).
 The crystal has only one set of vertical mirrors and hence is a rectangle crystal.
 Now comes the tricky point ‘How do I describe the crystal?’.
 The crystal has to be described as:
Lattice: Centred rectangle lattice
Motif: UC of ‘just the lattice’
UC of the crystal

Hence, the UC of the crystal

has to be used for the lattice
in this context.

The vertical mirrors in the crystal

The crystal The underlying lattice
 Give examples of crystals belonging to all the ten 2D point groups.
Q&A  As an illustration use square and 120 rhombus lattices as starting points.
Symmetry of the crystal
4mm Square 4 2mm Rectangle m

Note: the unit cells are squares or 120  rhombi

Hexagonal

3
6mm 6 3m

2 Parallelogram/Oblique 1
Q&A Give examples of crystals belonging to all the ten 2D point groups.
 Use conventional unit cells this time around.
Crystal Symmetry of Crystal Symmetry of
the underlying the underlying
lattice lattice
6mm
4mm

4mm Square 4
6

2mm
6mm
3m
2mm Rectangle m

2 3
Note the symmetry
2 Parallelogram 1 of the lattice defines
Hexagonal the Crystal System

4 crystal systems in 2D
 Q&A How to “go” from a square crystal to a rectangle crystal? (Illustrate with
examples).
Square lattice + Square lattice + Rectangle motif = Rectangle crystal
Square motif = 2
Square crystal
2mm
4mm

Rectangle lattice +
Square motif =
Rectangle crystal 2mm

3
Rectangle lattice +
Rectangle motif = 2mm
Rectangle crystal
Funda Check How come both the below crystals (in Fig.1) have ‘2’ symmetry?

 In the first case the shape and orientation of the motif leads to the lowering of the symmetry
of the underlying lattice from 4mm to 2.
 In the second case the lattice itself has only a 2 symmetry and using a motif of higher
symmetry (the well oriented yellow rectangle motif has 2mm symmetry) cannot increase
the symmetry of the structure and hence the crystal has only 2 symmetry.
 The location of these symmetry elements is given in the figure to the right (Click here to
know more about space groups in 2D (Click here to know more about space groups in 2D).

p2
2
2 Fig.1
Funda Check Can the symmetry of the lattice be increased by using a higher symmetry motif?

 No.
 The maximum symmetry one can get is that of the lattice.
 As an example let us consider a rectangle lattice (whose symmetry is 2mm). Let us make a
crystal by associating with each lattice point a square (with a higher 4mm symmetry).
However, the crystal thus obtained still has a 2mm symmetry!
 We could use a circle (the object with the highest symmetry possible in 2D) and still we
will get a crystal with 2mm symmetry (only).

In spite of decoration with a motif with 4mm

Lattice with 2mm symmetry
symmetry (that too a well aligned one) the
symmetry of the crystal obtained is still 2mm
 From the previous slides you must have seen that crystals have:

CRYSTALS

Orientational Order Positional Order

Later on we shall discuss that motifs can be (Motifs):

MOTIFS

Geometrical entities Physical Property

In practice some of the strict conditions imposed might be relaxed and we might call a
something a crystal even if
 Orientational order is missing
 There is only average orientational or positional order
 Only the geometrical entity has been considered in the definition of the crystal and not
the physical property
3D
Making a 3D Crystal
 A strict 3D crystal = 3D lattice + 3D motif.
 We have 14 3D Bravais lattices to choose from.
 As an intellectual exercise we can put 1D or 2D motifs in a 3D lattice as well.
(we could also try putting higher dimensional motifs like 4D motifs!!).
 We will illustrate some examples to understand some of the basic concepts
(most of which we have already explained in 1D and 2D).

In this chapter we only consider an outline of the crystal structures like

CCP, HCP & ‘BCC crystals’. More details can be found in the link below.

Chapter_4a_Structure_of_Solids_Metallic
Simple Cubic (SC) Lattice + Sphere Motif
Graded Shading to give 3D effect

Note: SC is a lattice & when we decorate it with

a single sphere motif (e.g. Polonium atom), then
we get a crystal, which is in ‘common usage’
language referred to as a SC crystal.

Simple Cubic Crystal

Conventional Unit cell of the SC lattice
=

 If these spheres were ‘spherical atoms’ then the atoms would be touching each other.
 The kind of model shown is known as the ‘Ball and Stick Model’.
 In the true unit cell 1/8th of the atom is within the unit cell.
 To know more about
Close Packed Crystals
Body Centred Cubic (BCC) Lattice + Sphere Motif click here

Atom at (½, ½, ½)

Body Centred Cubic Crystal

Atom at (0, 0, 0)

Unit cell of the BCC lattice =

Space filling model

Central atom is coloured differently for better visibility

So when one usually talks about a BCC crystal what is
Note: BCC is a lattice and not a crystal meant is a BCC lattice decorated with a mono-atomic motif
Face Centred Cubic (FCC) Lattice + Sphere Motif

Close Packed
implies CLOSEST
PACKED

Point at (½, ½, 0)
Cubic Close Packed Crystal
Point at (0, 0, 0)
(Sometimes casually called the FCC crystal)
Unit cell of the FCC lattice
=

Space filling model

So when one talks about a FCC crystal what is meant

Note: FCC is a lattice and not a crystal is a FCC lattice decorated with a mono-atomic motif
More views

All atoms are identical- coloured differently for better visibility

 Face Centred Cubic (FCC) Lattice + Two Carbon atom Motif
(0,0,0) & (¼, ¼, ¼)

Diamond Cubic Crystal

=

Tetrahedral bonding of C
(sp3 hybridized)
It requires a little thinking to convince yourself that the two atom motif
actually sits at all lattice points!

Note: This is not a close packed crystal

There are no close packed directions in this crystal either!
 Face Centred Cubic (FCC) Lattice + Two Ion Motif

(0,0,0) (½,0,0)

NaCl Crystal

Cl Ion at (0, 0, 0)

Na+ Ion at (½, 0, 0)

=

The Na+ ions sit in the positions (but not inside) of the
octahedral voids in an CCP crystal  click here to know more

Solved
Note: This is not a close packed crystal Has a packing fraction of ~0.67 Example
NaCl crystal: further points Click here: Ordered Crystals

This crystal can be considered as two int

erpenetrating FCC sublattices decorated
with Na
+ and Cl respectively

Inter-penetration of just 2 UC are shown here

More views

Coordination around Na+ and Cl ions

 Now we present 3D analogues of the 2D cases considered before:
those with only translational symmetry and those without any symmetry.

The blue outline is NO longer a

Unit Cell!!

Triclinic Crystal
(having only translational symmetry) Amorphous Material (Glass)
(having no symmetry what so ever)
Making Some Molecular Crystals
 We have seen that the symmetry (and positioning) of the motif plays an
important role in the symmetry of the crystal.
 Let us now consider some examples of Molecular Crystals to see practical
examples of symmetry of the motif vis a vis the symmetry of the crystal.
(click here to know more about molecular crystals → Molecular Crystals)
 It is seen that there is no simple relationship between the symmetry of the molecule and
the symmetry of the crystal structure. As noted before:
 Symmetry of the molecule may be retained in crystal packing (example of
hexamethylenetetramine) or
 May be lowered (example of Benzene)

Symmetry of Space group

Molecule symmetry of crystal
Hexamethylenetetramine (C6 H12 N 4 ) 43m I43m 43m
2 2 2 21 21 2 2
Ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) P
mmm n n m m
6 2 2 2 2 2
Benzene (C6 H 6 ) P 1 1 1 1
mmm b c a
2 4 2 4 2
Fullerene (C60 ) 35 F 3 3
m m m m m
 Q&A Give an example of a ‘real’ crystal wherein the motif leads to a lowering the
symmetry of the lattice (on the formation of a crystal)?

 The FCC lattice has a true 4-fold axis. On the formation of a diamond crystal the symmetry
along <100> is lowered to a 2-fold.
 Note: the DC structure has a 41 screw axis (along <100>).

Funda Check

 From reading some of the material presented in the chapter one might get a feeling that
there is no connection between ‘geometry’ and ‘symmetry’. I.e. a crystal made out of
lattice with square geometry can have any (given set) of symmetries.
 In ‘atomic’ systems (crystals made of atomic entities) we expect that these two aspects are
connected (and not arbitrary). The hyperlink below explains this aspect.

Click
Clickhere
here→
→connection
connectionbetween
betweengeometry
geometryand
andsymmetry
symmetry
 Q&A How do we handle the case wherein the symmetry of the lattice and motif do not
coincide (i.e. shifted by a translation vector)?
 Let us consider the example as below (F1 and F2).
 In F1 the symmetries of the lattice and motif coincide; while in F2 there is a relative shift
(red vector).
 In the second case (F2) we have to ignore the lattice and overlay the symmetry operators on
the crystal.

Lattice point

Relative shift between the 4-folds

of the lattice and motif
F1 F2
F1 F2