Quasicrystals: A new class of ordered structures

Journal Article · Mon Dec 24 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.53.2477· OSTI ID:6012473

Levine, D; Steinhardt, P J

A quasicrystal is the natural extension of the notion of a crystal to structures with quasiperiodic, rather than periodic, translational order. We classify two- and three-dimensional quasicrystals by their symmetry under rotation and show that many disallowed crystal symmetries are allowed quasicrystal symmetries. We analytically compute the diffraction pattern of an ideal quasicrystal and show that the recently observed electron diffraction pattern of an Al-Mn alloy is closely related to that of an icosahedral quasicrystal.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
• OSTI ID: 6012473
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 53:26; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

656000* -- Condensed Matter Physics
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTALS
DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
MANGANESE ALLOYS
MOTION
ORDER PARAMETERS
ROTATION
SCATTERING
SYMMETRY
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS