Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Unit Cells01:18

Unit Cells

48
A crystal's internal structure is an orderly array of atoms, ions, or molecules, and the details of this array significantly influence the solid's properties. In a crystal, periodically repeating 'structural motifs' - which could be atoms, molecules, or groups thereof - create a 'space lattice.' This is essentially a three-dimensional, infinite array of points, each surrounded by its neighbors in an identical way, forming the basic structure of the crystal.A 'unit cell' is a theoretical...
48
The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview01:24

The Seven Crystal Systems: Overview

87
Crystals with various point group symmetries belong to different crystal classes, which are synonymous terms. Despite being in the same class, crystals may have distinct shapes, like cubes and octahedra. There are 32 three-dimensional point groups, all of which are systematically divided into seven crystal systems.The basic cubic crystal system, exemplified by NaCl, features orthogonal vectors (α = β = �� = 90°) of equal lengths (a = b = c). When specific...
87
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects01:26

Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects

50
Schottky defects arise when some lattice points in a crystal, such as those in NaCl, remain unoccupied, creating lattice vacancies without disturbing the overall electrical neutrality of the crystal. This defect is common in ionic crystals where the positive and negative ions are similar in size, as seen in sodium chloride and cesium chloride. The presence of Schottky defects enables the crystal to conduct electricity to a small extent through an ionic mechanism. Electric fields cause nearby...
50
Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

19.9K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
19.9K
Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

41
In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
41
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Point, Line and Plane Defects01:25

Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Point, Line and Plane Defects

40
A perfect crystal, in theory, has a uniform structure with the same unit cell and lattice points throughout. However, any deviation from this periodic arrangement is known as an imperfection or defect. These defects can be categorized into three types: point, line, and plane defects.Point defects occur when there is a deviation from the ideal due to missing atoms, displaced atoms, or additional atoms. These imperfections might occur due to imperfect packing during crystallization or because of...
40

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Interactions of Composition and Stress in Crystalline Solids.

Journal of research of the National Bureau of Standards (1977)·2021
Same author

A cusp singularity in surfaces that minimize an anisotropic surface energy.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1986
Same author

An interface phase transition: complete to partial wetting.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·1980
Same journal

Precise Numerical Differentiation of Thermodynamic Functions with Multicomplex Variables.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Characterization of 3-Dimensional Printing and Casting Materials for use in Computed Tomography and X-ray Imaging Phantoms.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

On The Quotient of a Centralized and a Non-centralized Complex Gaussian Random Variable.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Fast Methods for Finding Multiple Effective Influencers in Real Networks.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

Disinfection of Respirators with Ultraviolet Radiation.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
Same journal

DNA Origami Design: A How-To Tutorial.

Journal of research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology·2024
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography
11:48

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

Published on: April 24, 2018

15.3K

Quasicrystals.

J W Cahn1

  • 1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8555.

Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
|August 9, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Quasicrystals, discovered in the 1980s, are aperiodic crystals that changed our understanding of atomic arrangements and periodicity in nature. This discovery opened new avenues in materials science, physics, and crystallography.

Keywords:
aperiodic crystalsnew branch of crystallographyquasicrystals

More Related Videos

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature
07:42

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature

Published on: March 11, 2022

2.4K
Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition
07:37

Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition

Published on: December 21, 2015

9.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography
11:48

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

Published on: April 24, 2018

15.3K
On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature
07:42

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature

Published on: March 11, 2022

2.4K
Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition
07:37

Preparation of Macroporous Epitaxial Quartz Films on Silicon by Chemical Solution Deposition

Published on: December 21, 2015

9.8K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Crystallography
  • Mathematics

Background:

  • Quasicrystals are discretely diffracting aperiodic crystals.
  • Their discovery in the early 1980s sparked significant interdisciplinary research.
  • They challenge traditional notions of crystal structure and periodicity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the fundamental nature of quasicrystals.
  • To understand their unique atomic arrangements.
  • To investigate the implications for periodicity in nature and crystallography.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of diffraction patterns from aperiodic structures.
  • Theoretical modeling of atomic arrangements.
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration across physics, materials science, and mathematics.

Main Results:

  • Established quasicrystals as a distinct class of materials.
  • Provided new insights into atomic ordering beyond periodic lattices.
  • Demonstrated the possibility of non-periodic atomic arrangements with discrete diffraction.

Conclusions:

  • Quasicrystals represent a paradigm shift in understanding crystal structures.
  • They have fostered a new branch of crystallography.
  • The study of quasicrystals continues to drive innovation in materials science and physics.