THE STRUCTURE OF QUASI-CRYSTALS

The aim of the present article is to give a review of the state-of the-art on quasicrystal structure analysis. After a short discussion of the term “crystal” in chapter 1, the geometrical generation of quasilattices is touched in chapter 2. In the following the higher dimensional description of 1d, 2d and 3d quasi crystals is demonstrated in detail as well as the derivation of structure factor equations and symmetry relationships in the higherdimensional space. Chapter 4 shows the experimental techniques and structure determination methods for the study of quasicrystals. The experimental results of structural studies performed with different techniques are critically reviewed in chapter 5. Some of the results of the literature research are that five years after the detection of the first quasicrystal not a single quantitative (in terms of a regular structure determination) analysis of its structure has been carried out, and that the famous Mackay-icosahedra do not play the important role as the basic structural building elements as one supposed before. © by R. Oldenbourg Verlag, München 1990