The Book of Crystallography

An lattice, and its Fourier Transform:

The grid points (delta functions) are exaggerated for clarity. Note that the Fourier transform of a grid is a grid with reciprocal directions and spacings. This is the origin of the reciprocal lattice.

A crystal, and its Fourier Transform:

Finally, we build up a crystal by convoluting the molecule with the grid. The result is a crystal structure. The Fourier transform of the crystal is thus the product of the molecular transform and the reciprocal lattice.


More Fourier transforms.
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