What is it about?
In the literature about chemistry and materials science terms like "lattice", sublattice", "superlattice" are often incorrectly used instead of "structure", "superstructure" and "substructure". These terms are explained and their correct use is explained. Moreover, structural modules which show periodicity in a subspace are often incorrectly called "two-dimensional", "one-dimensional" or "zero-dimensional", instead of "diperiodic", "monoperiodic" and "non-periodic". Also in this case, the terms are explained and their correct use is explained.
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Why is it important?
The incorrect use of terms outside of their meaning and definition is a serious obstacle in scientific communication in structural science.
Perspectives
These guidelines should help non-specialists to avoid falling in the terminological traps we so often see today.
Distinguished Professor Massimo Nespolo
Universite de Lorraine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Lattice versus structure, dimensionality versus periodicity: a crystallographic Babel?, Journal of Applied Crystallography, February 2019, International Union of Crystallography,
DOI: 10.1107/s1600576719000463.
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