Mauguin

These simple examples serve to show that instinctive ideas about symmetry are not going to get us very far. We must put symmetry classification on a much firmer footing if it is to be useful. In order to do this we need to define only five types of elements of symmetry - and one of these is almost trivial. In discussing these we refer only to the free molecule, realized in the gas phase at low pressure, and not, for example, to crystals which have additional elements of symmetry relating the positions of different molecules within the unit cell. We shall use, therefore, the Schdnflies notation rather than the Hermann-Mauguin notation favoured in crystallography. 

Mauguin showed that for various micas the unit of structure uniformly contains the number of atoms 0 + F given by the above formula. 

In the Hermann-Mauguin Symbols, the same rotational axes are indicated, plus any inversion symmetry that may be present. The numbers indicate the number of rotations present, m shows that a mirror symmetry is present and the inversion symmetry is indicated by a bar over the number, i.e.- 0. 

At this point, you may find that the subject of symmetry in a crysted structure to be confusing. However, by studying the terminology carefully in Table 2-2, one can begin to sort out the various lattice structures and the symbols used to delineate them. All of the crystal systems can be described by use of either Schoenflies or Hermaim-Mauguin S5mbols, coupled with the use of the proper geometrical symbols. 

Translational symmetry is the most important symmetry property of a crystal. In the Hermann-Mauguin symbols the three-dimensional translational symmetry is expressed by a capital letter which also allows the distinction of primitive and centered crystal lattices (cf. Fig. 2.6, p. 8) ... 

Hermann- Mauguin Schoen- flies graphical symbol ... 

Examples of rotation axes. In each case the Hermann-Mauguin symbol is given on the left side, and the Schoenflies symbol on the right side. tni means point, pronounced dyan in Chinese, hoshi in Japanese... 

Hermann-Mauguin symbol m. Schoenflies symbol a (used only for a detached plane). Graphical symbols ... 

Hermann-Mauguin symbol 1 ( one bar ). Schoenflies symbol i. Graphical symbol o... 

A rotoreflection is a coupled symmetry operation of a rotation and a reflection at a plane perpendicular to the axis. Rotoreflection axes are identical with inversion axes, but the multiplicities do not coincide if they are not divisible by 4 (Fig. 3.3). In the Hermann-Mauguin notation only inversion axes are used, and in the Schoenflies notation only rotoreflection axes are used, the symbol for the latter being SN. 

Screw rotation. The symmetry element is a screw axis. It can only occur if there is translational symmetry in the direction of the axis. The screw rotation results when a rotation of 360/1V degrees is coupled with a displacement parallel to the axis. The Hermann-Mauguin symbol is NM ( N sub M )-,N expresses the rotational component and the fraction M/N is the displacement component as a fraction of the translation vector. Some screw axes are right or left-handed. Screw axes that can occur in crystals are shown in Fig. 3.4. Single polymer molecules can also have non-crystallographic screw axes, e.g. 103 in polymeric sulfur. 

A Hermann-Mauguin point-group symbol consists of a listing of the symmetry elements that are present according to certain rules in such a way that their relative orientations can... 

Cubic point groups have four threefold axes (3 or 3) that mutually intersect at angles of 109.47°. They correspond to the four body diagonals of a cube (directions x+y+z, -x+y-z, -x-y+z and x-y-z, added vectorially). In the directions x, y, and z there are axes 4, 4 or 2, and there can be reflection planes perpendicular to them. In the six directions x+y, x-y, x+z,. .. twofold axes and reflection planes may be present. The sequence of the reference directions in the Hermann-Mauguin symbols is z, x+y+z, x+y. The occurrence of a 3 in the second position of the symbol (direction x+y+z) gives evidence of a cubic point group. See Fig. 3.8. 

Symmetrical geometric figures and their point group symbols in each case, the short Hermann-Mauguin symbol is given to the left, and the Schoenflies symbol to the right... 

Figures 3.8 and 3.9 list point group symbols and illustrate them by geometric figures. In addition to the short Hermann-Mauguin symbols the Schoenflies symbols are also listed. Full Hermann-Mauguin symbols for some point groups are ...

The coordinate system of reference is taken with the vertical principal axis (z axis). Schoenflies symbols are rather compact—they designate only a minimum of the symmetry elements present in the following way (the corresponding Hermann-Mauguin symbols are given in brackets) ... 

Give the Hermann-Mauguin symbols for the following molecules or ions ... 

Plots of the following molecules or ions can be found on pp. 132, 133 and 146. State their Hermann-Mauguin symbols. 

What Hermann-Mauguin symbols correspond to the linked polyhedra shown in Fig. 16.1 (p. 166) ... 

Find out which symmetry elements are present in the structures of the following compounds. Derive the Hermann-Mauguin symbol of the corresponding space group (it may be helpful to consult International Tables for Crystallography, Vol. A). 

Every space group listed in the family tree corresponds to a structure. Since the space group symbol itself states only symmetry, and gives no information about the atomic positions, additional information concerning these is necessary for every member of the family tree (Wyckoff symbol, site symmetry, atomic coordinates). The value of information of a tree is rather restricted without these data. In simple cases the data can be included in the family tree in more complicated cases an additional table is convenient. The following examples show how specifications can be made for the site occupations. Because they are more informative, it is advisable to label the space groups with their full Hermann-Mauguin symbols. 

Figure 8.11 Illustration of Mauguin twisted nematic cell, reported in 1911. Substrates are thin mica plates, which are uniaxial with their optic axis parallel to plane of plates. Apparently, uniaxial crystal stmcture of mica produces strong azimuthal anchoring of nematic LCs of Lehmann, such that director is parallel (or perpendicular) to optic axis of mica sheets at both surfaces. Mauguin showed that method of Poincard could be used to explain optics of system if it was assumed that LC sample created layer of material with uniformly rotating optic axis in twisted cells.

It is interesting to note that Mauguin had discovered the TN LC cell in 1911. Commercialization of this device did not occur for some 75 years, but since then, with the development of thin-film transistor arrays, transparent... 

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