Hierarchic Computations in Geometric Space—Showing Sharp Diffraction in Quasicrystals

Abstract

A quasi-structure factor method is used to show how sharp diffraction patterns are produced by aperiodic quasicrystals. Icosahedral symmetry is described for the tensor rank 3 solids with edge-sharing unit cells that are pentagonally close packed in hierarchic structures having a geometric reciprocal lattice. The hierarchic symmetry replaces translational symmetry in crystal diffraction. Details in the calculation show how the symmetry is simulated in diffraction.