ENEE 313

HW 1, Due Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019

Read Chapters 1 & 2 in Goldsman

Do and hand in the following problems:

1) Primitive Unit Cell vs. Convenient Rectangular Unit Cell with Basis. Recall, the
primitive unit cell is the smallest unit cell we can have of a material, and still have that
material. However, the shape of the primitive can be difficult to deal with. Often, we use
a convenient larger rectangular unit cell with an atomic basis since it is easier to work
with than the primitive.
Now, suppose we have a 2-Dimensional material composed of a single type of atom
(Atom A). The material has a convenient rectangular unit cell with primitive vectors:
a = 1nm, and b = 2nm. Also the atomic basis of this convenient rectangular unit cell is
(A:0,0) and (A:1/2,1/2).
a) Sketch the lattice of this crystalline material and outline the convenient
rectangular unit cell described above. Include the lattice vectors a and b on the
cell.
b) Outline a primitive unit cell for this material on your sketch and label the
primitive vectors.

2) Consider the structure illustrated below, which might represent the structure of a (two
dimensional) molecular crystal with each arrow representing a heteropolar molecule, and
the direction of the arrow designating the orientation of a molecule. The molecules are
arranged on an equilateral triangular network.

a) Define the structure in terms of a convenient rectangular cell and a suitable basis.
b) Define the structure in terms of a primitive cell and a basis
c) Repeat (a) and (b) if the molecules are replaced by atoms (i.e. dots instead of
arrows). (Note that this would also be an appropriate description!)

3) Miller Indices and Lattice Planes

a) For the 2-Dimensional lattice, sketch the (1,0), (1,1) and (1,2) planes. (These
are actually lines for 2-D lattices)
b) For a 3-Dimensional cubic lattice, sketch the (1,0,0), (1,1,0) and (3,2,1) planes

4) A 2-Dimensional crystalline material with the chemical formula AB2 has its atoms
arranged on square lattice. The three atom atomic basis of this structure is (A:0,0),
 ENEE 313
HW 1, Due Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2019

(B:1/2,0), (B:0,1/2). The length of the primitive vector ‘a’ is 0.5nm. (Since the primitive
unit cell is a square, both primitive vectors have the same length.) The radius of atom A =
0.1nm, and the radius of Atom B = 0.05nm
a. Sketch this crystal
b. Sketch a primitive unit cell of this crystal and discuss it in one or two
sentences.
c. What is the area of the primitive unit cell filled by atoms, and what is the
empty area? (We are dealing with areas since this is a 2-D system).

5) A 3-Dimensional crystalline material has a simple cubic primitive unit cell that has the
chemical formula AB. The length of the primitive vector = ‘a’ is 0.5nm. The atomic
basis is (A:0,0,0) and (B:1/2,1/2,1/2). The radius of atom A = 0.1nm, and the radius of
Atom B = 0.05nm
d. Sketch this simple cubic primitive unit cell.
e. What is the total volume of this primitive unit cell?
f. What is volume of the cell that is occupied by atoms?
g. If instead of having the atom B in the center, you had atom A, would this still
be a primitive unit cell? Explain why or why not.

6) Sketch the unit cell for a (a) simple cubic, (b) body centered cubic and (c) a face
centered cubic.

7) Most semiconductors are arranged on a diamond lattice. Look up the diamond lattice
on the internet; there is a good link on the class website. How many atoms are in the
convenient rectangular (diamond structure) unit cell of silicon? By giving the location of
each of the atoms in this unit cell, justify your answer.