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Crystal Physics 1-2

The document discusses the classification of solids into crystalline and amorphous materials, detailing their atomic arrangements and properties. Crystalline materials have a regular atomic structure and sharp melting points, while amorphous materials lack long-range order and do not have sharp melting points. It also covers concepts such as lattices, unit cells, and Bravais lattices, explaining the geometric and symmetry aspects of crystal structures.

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4 views

Crystal Physics 1-2

The document discusses the classification of solids into crystalline and amorphous materials, detailing their atomic arrangements and properties. Crystalline materials have a regular atomic structure and sharp melting points, while amorphous materials lack long-range order and do not have sharp melting points. It also covers concepts such as lattices, unit cells, and Bravais lattices, explaining the geometric and symmetry aspects of crystal structures.

Uploaded by

renishr2006
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIT I – CRYSTAL PHYSICS

Single Crystalline materials have atoms are arranged in a regular


periodic manner in all directions and the ordering extends through out the
specimen of the solid.
Polycrystalline materials have atomic order present only in sections
(grains) of the solid.
▪ Order of arrangement of atoms differ from grain to grain. (Grain sizes – of the
order µm). In an aggregate, a large number of small grains are arranged in a
random fashion.
▪ These crystals have sharp melting points.
Examples of crystalline solids : Diamond, copper, Platinum , Silver, Gold,
Nickel, Cadmium, Iron, etc.
The crystalline solids have directional properties (as a result of a variation in
the arrangement of particles in various directions) and therefore they are called
anisotropic substances.
Amorphous materials have no regular long range order
of arrangement of the atoms. (Polymers, common
window glass, ceramic.) They can be prepared by rapidly
cooling molten material. An amorphous material consists
of continuous random network structure of atoms.
Examples of amorphous solids : Polymers, Plastics,
Rubber, common window glass, ceramic, etc.

These solids have no directional properties and therefore they are


called isotropic substances.
These amorphous solids do not have a sharp melting point.
STRUCTURE OF SOLIDS
Solids can be classified under several criteria based on
• electrical properties
• thermal properties
• atomic arrangements etc.
• Using electrical criterion: Conductors, Insulators,
Semiconductors
• Using thermal properties: Good conductors of heat, thermal
insulators.
• Using atomic arrangements: Amorphous
Polycrystalline
Crystalline.
Lattice: Translationally periodic arrangement of points in space is called a
lattice.

A Space Lattice is an infinite array of imaginary points in space such that


every point has identical surroundings.
Atomic lattice refers to the arrangement of atoms into a crystal structure.
Basis (or) Motif is an atom or a group of atoms associated with
each lattice point, which are identical in composition,
arrangement and orientation, is called as the basis. The
atomic arrangement in a crystal is called crystal structure.
Unit cell:
The unit cell is defined as the smallest geometric figure, the
repetition of which in all three directions gives the actual crystal
structure.
A cube is the simplest example of a unit cell.

• A Unit cell is a finite representation of the infinite lattice which


contains all the information about the geometry and
symmetry of its lattice.
• Shape of the crystal will depend upon the shape of the unit
cell.
Lattice parameters (or) Unit cell parameters:
The lines drawn parallel to the lines of intersection of any three faces of the unit
cell which do not lie in the same plane are called crystallographic axes.
The intercepts a, b, c are nothing but the edges of the cube (i.e., the distance
between two lattice points) which define the dimensions of the unit cell.
These intercepts are known as primitives or characteristic intercepts.

Three intercepts a, b, c are also called fundamental


translational vectors (or) axial lengths.

The three angles (α, β, ϒ) are called interfacial angles.


Both the three intercepts (a,b,c) and interfacial
angles (α, β, ϒ) constitute the lattice parameters
of the unit cell.
The crystal system
There are only seven possible combinations of a, b, c & α, β, γ, of
3-dimensional unit cells which upon translational repetition lead to distinct lattices.
These are called the seven crystal systems.

Trigonal ( or Rhombohedral)
Bravais Lattice:
In 1848, Auguste Bravais demonstrated that by placing some
additional lattice points in certain particular locations inside the
unit cell gives rise to a few more 3D space lattices which are unique.
• Bravais, in 1848, showed that there are 14 possible types of space
lattices in the 7 crystal system.
According to Bravais, there are only 14 possible ways of arranging
points in space lattice from the seven crystal systems such that all
the lattice points have exactly the same surroundings. These 14 space
lattices are called Bravais lattices.
P
≠
Primitive cell

If the lattice points are only at the corners, the cell is primitive.
(or) A primitive cell is the simplest type of unit cell which contains only
one lattice point per unit cell.
Example: Simple cubic (SC), Simple Tetragonal

Non- Primitive cell


If there are lattice points in the cell other than the corners, the cell is
nonprimitive.
(or) The unit cell which contains more than one lattice point is called non-
primitive cell.
Example: BCC, FCC and HCP
Bismuth has a = b= c=4.74 Å and angles α =β =ϒ = 60 ̊. What is its
crystal structure?

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