Related papers: Continuous invariant-based asymmetries of periodic…
Periodic point sets model all solid crystalline materials (crystals) whose atoms can be considered zero-sized points with or without atomic types. This paper addresses the fundamental problem of checking whether claimed crystals are novel,…
Recent DFT (density functional theory) simulations showed that metals have a hitherto overlooked symmetry termed "hidden scale invariance" [Hummel {\em et al.}, Phys. Rev. B {\bf{92}}, 174116 (2015)]. According to isomorph theory, this…
Molecular crystals often exist in multiple competing polymorphs, showing significantly different physico-chemical properties. Computational crystal structure prediction is key to interpret and guide the search for the most stable or useful…
The diffraction pattern of a single non-periodic compact object, such as a molecule, is continuous and is proportional to the square modulus of the Fourier transform of that object. When arrayed in a crystal, the coherent sum of the…
Crystals which have a uniform distribution of defects are endowed with a Lie group description which allows one to construct an associated discrete structure. These structures are in fact the discrete subgroups of the ambient Lie group. The…
Describing the deviation of a real structure from a hypothetical higher-symmetry ideal can be a powerful tool to understand and interpret phase transitions. Here we introduce a simple yet effective metric that quantifies the degree of unit…
Almost all normal-incommensurate phase transitions observed experimentally are continuous. We show that there is not any theoretical reason for this general behaviour in perfect crystals. A normal-incommensurate phase transition that is not…
This paper shows by computer simulations that some crystalline systems have curves in their thermodynamic phase diagrams, so-called isomorphs, along which structure and dynamics in reduced units are invariant to a good approximation. The…
The aim of this paper is to propose a criterion of spontaneous symmetry breaking that makes reference to the properties of pure phases defined by a translationally invariant state. By avoiding any reference to the ground state, at the basis…
Finding an optimal match between two different crystal structures underpins many important materials science problems, including describing solid-solid phase transitions, developing models for interface and grain boundary structures. In…
The fundamental issues of symmetry related to chirality are discussed and applied to simple situations relevant to liquid crystals. We show that any chiral measure of a geometric object is a pseudoscalar (invariant under proper rotations…
This paper was motivated by the articles "Same or different - that is the question" in CrystEngComm (July 2020) and "Change to the definition of a crystal" in the IUCr newsletter (June 2021). Experimental approaches to crystal comparisons…
The discovery of quasicrystals has changed our view of some of the most basic notions related to the condensed state of matter. Before the age of quasicrystals, it was believed that crystals break the continuous translation and rotation…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking plays a pivotal role in physics ranging from the emergence of elementary particles to the phase transitions of matter. The spontaneous breaking of continuous time translation symmetry leads to a novel state of…
Point defects are ubiquitous in two dimensional crystals and play a fundamental role in determining their mechanical and thermodynamical properties. When crystals are formed on a curved background, finite length grain boundaries (scars) are…
The prediction of material structure from chemical composition has been a long-standing challenge in natural science. Although there have been various methodological developments and successes with computer simulations, the prediction of…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is one of the central organizing principles in physics. Time crystals have emerged as an exotic phase of matter, spontaneously breaking the time translational symmetry, and are mainly categorized as discrete or…
Order and disorder constitute two fundamental and opposite themes in condensed matter physics and materials science. Crystals are considered the epitome of order, characterised by long-range translational order. The discovery of…
Chirality refers to the asymmetry of objects that cannot be superimposed on their mirror image. It is a concept that exists in various scientific fields and has profound consequences. Although these are perhaps most widely recognized within…
Crystals are the materials which can be described by uniform periodic lattices. Traditionally, only the 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-fold rotation symmetries are allowed in crystals because other n-fold rotation symmetries are forbidden by the…