GS 122 Elementary Mineralogy

Why should we be interested?

Important physical properties depend on crystal structure:
Conductivity
Magnetic properties
Stiffness
Strength
These properties also often depend on crystal orientation
Some Important Terms for Crystals
Crystal Structure Bravais lattices Symmetry operations
Miller Indices Stereographic Standard Projection
Planes Projection
Directions Principal Metal Structures
BCC, FCC, HCP
Ionic Crystals Isomorphism Polymorphism
Atomic arrangement
SOLID
Crystalline periodic arrangement of atoms: definite repetitive pattern
Non-crystalline or Amorphous random arrangement of atoms
The periodicity of atoms in crystalline solids can be described by a network
of points in space called lattice. A space lattice can be defined as a three
dimensional array of points, each of which has identical surroundings.
Fourteen Bravais Lattices
Symmetry
The seven symmetry operators are:
1)Translation
2) Rotation
3) Reflection
4) Inversion (center of symmetry)
5) Roto-inversion (inversion axis)
6) Glide (translation + reflection)
7) Screw (rotation + translation)
Spatial transformations or the spatial relationships between objects in a pattern
Symmetry Elements
Primary function is to specify the reference point about which an action occurs
The first five symmetry elements that we consider are:
1) Translation vectors
2) Rotation axes
3) Mirror planes
4) Centers of symmetry (inversion points)
5) Inversion axes
Symmetry operations:
1. Translation
- Replication of an object at a new spatial coordinate
- Shift in a specified direction by a specified length
- Used to build a crystal structure by replicating an object (the basis) at each of
the Bravais lattice points
- Based on a, b and c vectors of unit cell, a translation vector t can be expressed
as t =ua +vb +wc, where u, v and w are positive or negative integers.
2. Rotation
- Motion through an angle about an axis
- Symmetry element is an N-fold rotation axis
- The multiplicity N is an integer.
- After having performed the rotation N times the object returns to its
original position
Symmetry operations:
2. Rotation
Symmetry operations:
Figure. The five rotation operators that are consistent with translational symmetry.
- The large circles are lines of construction to guide the eye.
- The solid object in the center shows the position of the rotation axis and the small
circle is the object which is repeated to form the pattern.
The 2 axis is referred to as a diad, the 3 axis as a triad, the 4 axis as a tetrad,
and the 6 axis as a hexad.
1-Fold Rotation Axis - An object that
requires rotation of a full 360 to repeat
itself has no rotational symmetry
2-fold Rotation Axis - If an object
appears identical after a rotation of 180,
that is twice in a 360 rotation, then it is
said to have a 2-fold (2 /180) rotation
symmetry
Question: Is it possible to have 5, 7 or 8-fold rotation symmetry?
2. Rotation
Symmetry operations:
Objects with 5, 7 and 8 or higher
order symmetry exist in nature.
However, these are not possible in crystallography
as they cannot fill the space completely.
3. Reflection
- Describes the operation of a mirror
- Symmetry element is a reflection plane.
- Hermann Mauguin symbol: m.
Figures with the axes of symmetry drawn
in. The figure with no axes is asymmetric.
Symmetry operations:
3. Reflection
Symmetry operations:
- In 2D there is a line of symmetry, in 3D a plane of symmetry.
- An object or figure which is indistinguishable from its transformed
image is called mirror symmetric.
Reflection converts a right-handed object into a left-handed
or enantiomorphous (in opposite shape) replica.
Symmetry operations:
4. Inversion
- Reflection through a point.
- This point is the symmetry element and is called inversion center or
center of symmetry.
5. Rotoinversion
-The symmetry element is a rotoinversion axis or, for short, an inversion axis
- This refers to a coupled symmetry operation which involves two motions: take a rotation
through an angle of 360/N degrees immediately followed by an inversion at a point located
on the axis
Symmetry operations:
6. Screw rotation
- The symmetry element is a screw axis.
- It can only occur if there is translational symmetry in the direction of the axis.
- The screw rotation results when a rotation of 360/N degrees is coupled with a
displacement parallel to the axis.
The HermannMauguin symbol is N
M
(N subM); N expresses the
rotational component and the fraction M/ N is the displacement
component as a fraction of the translation vector.
Symmetry operations:
6. Screw rotation
Symmetry operations: Screw axes and their graphical symbols. The axes 3
1
, 4
1
,
6
1
, and 6
2
are right-handed; 3
2
, 4
3
, 6
5
, and 6
4
are the
corresponding left-handed screw axes.
The operation of a 4
2
screw axis
parallel to the z direction;
(a) Atom A at z=0 is repeated at
z=T and then rotated counter
clockwise by 90;
(b) The atom is translated parallel
to z by a distance of t =2T/4, i.e.
T/2 to create atom B;
(c) Atom B is rotated counter
clockwise by 90 and translated
parallel to z by a distance of t =
2T/4, i.e. T/2, to give atom C;
Construction of 4
2
screw operation:
6. Screw rotation
Symmetry operations:
(d) atom C is at z=T, the lattice
repeat, and so is repeated at z
= 0;
(e) repeat of the symmetry
operation produces atom D at z
= T/2;
(f) standard crystallographic
depiction of a 4
2
screw axis
viewed along the axis
Construction of 4
2
screw operation:
6. Screw rotation
Symmetry operations:
In this figure, the motif is represented by
a circle, the + means that the motif is
situated above the plane of the paper
and + indicates the position of a motif
generated by screw operation.
7. Glide reflection
- The symmetry element is a glide plane. It can only occur if translational symmetry
is present parallel to the plane. At the plane, reflections are performed, but every
reflection is coupled with an immediate displacement parallel to the plane.
HermannMauguin symbol is a, b, c, n, d or e, the letter designating the
direction of the glide referred to the unit cell. a, b and c refer to
displacements parallel to the basis vectors a, b and c, the
displacements amounting to 1/2a, 1/2b and 1/2c, respectively.
- The glide planes n and d involve displacements in a diagonal direction by
amounts of and of the translation vector in this direction, respectively. The
letter e designates two glide planes in one another with two mutually
perpendicular glide directions.
Symmetry operations:
7. Glide reflection
Symmetry operations:
Top left:
Perspective illustration of a
glide plane.
Other images:
Printed and graphical
symbols for glide planes
perpendicular to a and c
with different glide
directions.
z = height of the point in
the unit cell