Quasicrystals: A Primer (Monographs on the Physics and Chemistry of Materials)

In 1984, physicists discovered a totally unexpected form of matter-a structure that appeared to contain five-fold symmetry axes, which cannot exist in strictly periodic structures-that became known as quasicrystals. In an effort to understand these structures, a theory that employed higher dimensional space groups was conceived, enabling the creation of new alloy phases that exhibited the properties expected from this model. Now in its second edition, Quasicrystals: A Primer offers an up-to-date and accessible introduction to the subject for students approaching it for the first time. Providing lively treatments of a range of practical, experimental, and theoretical topics, the book has been completely updated to reflect the latest advances in quasicrystal research and application. Helpful problem sets and a computer program that generates a Penrose lattice are included as well. Students and researchers in materials science, crystallography, and condensed matter physics will welcome this new edition of a trustworthy, user-friendly survey of an important topic in crystallography.