WOLFRAM|DEMONSTRATIONS PROJECT

Reciprocal Lattice 2D

​
b/a
1.58114
γ
ab
71.5651
centered
h
1
k
0
This Demonstration indexes the 2D lattice in the left graphic according to the pair of basis vectors
a≡[1,0]
and
b≡[0,1]
defined by the figure. This gives insight into the indexing of 2D electron diffraction patterns, as well as into the reciprocal-lattice indexing of 3D crystals.
On the right, note that the reciprocal-lattice basis vectors
*
b
≡(1,0)⊥b
and
*
b
≡(0,1)⊥a
have lengths inversely proportional to the corresponding inter-row spacing in direct space. Also, the choice of a nonprimitive (centered) unit cell adds lattice points in direct space on the left but subtracts them in frequency space on the right.