Crystal Lattice & Unit Cell

Lattice Point: Imaginary points representing the possible location of particles (ions, molecule or atoms)

Lattice : The 3-D regular and repeating arrangement of constituent partical represent by dots in solid is
called lattice or crystal lattice.

Unit Cell : Unit cell is the smallest portion of a crystal lattice which, when repeated in different directions,
generates the entire lattice.

Characteristics of a Unit Cell :

(i) Its dimensional along the three edges, a, b and c. These edges may or may not be mutually perpendicular.
(ii) Angles between the edges,  (between b and c)  (between a and c) and  (between a and b).
(iii) Each unit cell has characteristic relation between a, b and c or , , and  to give rise different types of
unit cell.

Types of Unit cells

1- Dimensional 2-dimensional 3-Dimensional

1-Dimensional Space Lattice : Uniformly separated lattice point in 1-D

only one parameter is required  distance between two lattice point.

2-Dimensional Space Lattice : Regular arrangement of point in plane 3 parameter required  Two edge
lengths & angle between these two edge.

(i) Square unit cell  a = b,  = 90º

(ii) Rectangle unit cell  a  b,  = 90º
(iii) Hexagonal unit cell  a = b,  = 120º
(iv) Rhombic unit cell  a = b,   90º &   60º
(v) Parallelogram  a  b,   90º

3-Dimensional Space Lattice : Seven Primitive unit cells in crystals

c
b a
Cubic b Tetragonal Orthorhombic ;
g c c
a b
b a
a

(a = b = c,  =  = = 90º) (a = b  c,  =  = = 90º) (a  b  c,  =  = = 90º)

c
Monoclinic Hexagonal

c
b
a b
a

(a  b  c,  = = 90º,   120º, 90º,  60º) (a = b  c,  = = 90º,  = 120º)

c c

Rhombohedral Triclinic
b b
a a

(a = b = c,  = =   90º) (a  b  c,      90º)

 The type of unit cells found in different types of crystals.

(Total number of atoms in unit cell)

1
1. Primitive /simple unit cell : =8× =1
8

2. Non primitive :

1
(a) Body centered (B.C.) : =8× +1×1=2
8

1 1
(b) Face centered (F.C.) : =8× +6× =4
8 2

1 1
(c) End centered (E.C.) : =8× + ×2=2
8 2

Seven Crystal System (Bravis System)

S.No. Crystal System Edge length Angles Unit cell found Examples
SC, BCC, FCC NaCl, ZnS, Fe, Al, Cu, C (diamond),
1 Cubic a=b=c º
(3) CsCl, Na2O, CaF2, KCl, Pb, Alum.
SC, BC Sn (white tin), SnO2, ,TiO2, ZnO2,
2 Tetragonal a=b c º
(2) NiSO4, urea.
SC, BC, FC, EC Rhombic sulphur, BaSO4, KNO3,
3 Orthorhombic a b c º
(4) PbCO3, , CaCO3 (aragonite)
º
SC, EC Monoclinic sulphur, PbCrO4, Na2SO4,
4 Monoclinic a b c  º,
(2) 10H2O, Na2B4O7.10H2O
º,  º
SC
5 Triclinic a b c  º K2Cr2O7, CuSO4.5H2O, H3BO3
(1)
º SC
6 Hexagonal a=b c Graphite, ZnO, CdS, Mg, PbI2, SiC.
º (1)

Rhombohedral
SC CaCO3 (Calcite), HgS(Cinnabar),
7 or a=b=c  º
(1) NaNO3, ICl.
Trigonal