Crystal Directions
Dr. Mehnaz Sharmin
Department of Physics
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
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Miller Indices
1. Indices of Site, [[m n p]] [1 1 1]
2. Indices of Direction, [m n p]
[[1 1 1]]
3. Indices of Plane, (h k l)
* Indices of negative directions are
indicated by “ ഥ ” bar sign. ഥ ഥ𝟏𝟎
𝟏
ഥ𝟎𝟎 , 𝟏
Example: 𝟏 ഥ𝟏ഥ𝟎 , etc.
[[1 0 0]]
* Intercepts of the planes are used [[1 1 0]]
[1 0 0]
[1 1 0]
describe a plane.
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The Families of Crystal Directions
• In a crystal, there are infinite number of directions. Some of the
directions form families.
• Some set of directions have identical spacing between the atoms, or we
can say same unit translations. These are called equivalent directions.
• These equivalent directions form families of directions denoted as
<hkl>.
• Example: In cubic crystals, the family <100> comprises of the directions
[100], [010], [001], [1ത 00], [01ത 0], [001ത ]
• Write down the directions from the family <110> and <111>.
<110> family has 12 members and <111> family has 8 members
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Table: The unit translations for low index directions of a cubic system
Unit translation
Family
P I F
100 a a a
110 2a 2a a/2
111 3a 3a/2 3a
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Angle between Two Crystal Directions in
Cubic Structure
Dot product of two directions [h1k1l1] z [111]
and [h2k2l2] is used. [001]
ℎ1 ℎ2 + 𝑘1 𝑘2 + 𝑙1 𝑙2
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜑 = 1 1
ℎ12 + 𝑘12 +𝑙12 ൗ2 ℎ22 + 𝑘22 +𝑙22 ൗ2
Determination of angle between [111] and
[001] directions in cubic structure
0+0+1 1
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜑 = 1ൗ 1ൗ =
3 2 1 2 3
y
𝜑 = 54.75o
Problem: Calculate the angle
between [111] and [1ത 1ത 1]
directions in cubic structure. x
Fig. Angle between [111] and [1ത 11]
ത directions in
Answer: 𝜑 = 109.5o cubic structure
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How to find Miller Indices
1. First we have to find the intercepts with the axes
along the basis vector a , b and cԦ . Let these
intercepts of the plane be x, y, z. We form the
x y z
fractional triplet , , .
a b c
a b c
2. Take reciprocal to this set , , .
x y z
3. Then reduce this set to a similar one having the
smallest integers multiplying by common factor.
4. This last set is enclosed in parentheses (h k l), is
called the index of the plane or Miller Indices.
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Example: Z
1. Let the intercepts are x = 2a, y
= 3b/2, z = c.
c (3 4 6) plane
x y z
2. We first form the set, , , =
a b c
2a 3b c 3
, , = 2, , 1
a 2b c 2
b 3b/2
1 2 Y
3. Taking the reciprocal, , ,1
2 3
a
4. Finally, multiply by a common
(factor) denominator. Which is 2a
6, to obtain the miller indices (h
k l) = (3 4 6). X
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Miller Indices to Intercepts
1 1 1
1. Form a set: : : =p:q:r
h k l
2. Multiply with unit translation: pa:qb:rc
3. Eliminate fraction to form a set l1: l2: l3
Here, l1, l2 and l3 are the intercepts along X, Y and
Z axes, respectively.
Example: (hkl)=(112) Example: (hkl)=(301)
1 1 1 1 1 1
Step-1: p:q:r=1:1:2 Step-1: p:q:r=3:0:1
a b c a b c a c
Step-2: pa:qb:rc=1:1:2 Step-2: pa:qb:rc= 3:0:1 =3:∞:1
Step-3: l1: l2: l3 = 2a:2b:c (after Step-3: l1: l2: l3 = a:∞:3c (after
multiplying by lcm) multiplying by lcm)
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▪ In a crystal, a plane cuts intercepts of 2a, 3b and 6c along the three
crystallographic axes. Determine the Miller indices of the plane. [Answer:
(321)]
▪ Determine the Miller indices of a plane which is parallel to x-axis and cuts
intercepts of 2 and ½ respectively along y and z-axes. [Answer: (014)]
▪ An orthorhombic crystal whose primitive translations are a=1.21 Å, b=1.84 Å
and c=1.97 Å. If a plane (231)ത cuts an intercept of 1.21 Å along x-axis, find
the length of intercepts along other two axes. [Answer: 1.23 Å, - 3.94 Å]
▪ Determine the Miller indices of plane that make the intercepts of 2 Å, 3 Å and
4 Å on the coordinate axes of the orthorhombic crystal with a:b:c=4:3:2.
[Answer: (421)]
▪ Find the Miller indices of a plane that makes intercepts on a, b and c axes
equal to 3 Å, 4 Å and 3 Å in a tetragonal crystal with c/a ratio 1.5. [Answer:
(436)]
▪ Worked out problems in the book “Solid State Physics” by M. A. Wahab, 2nd
ed, Page no. 25 – 27. Practice the problems in the exercise of the mentioned
chapter.
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