Mauguin

Charles-Victor Mauguin was a French physicist and crystallographer born on October 29, 1878, in Paris, France, and died on November 23, 1958, in Paris. He is best known for his contributions to the field of crystallography, particularly in the development of the international notation system for crystal symmetry, now widely referred to as the Mauguin notation or Hermann–Mauguin notation.

Mauguin earned his doctorate in physics from the Sorbonne in 1904, where he studied under prominent scientists such as Henri Poincaré and Paul Langevin. His early work focused on the physical properties of crystals, including their optical and piezoelectric behaviors. In 1912, he collaborated with German crystallographer Carl Hermann to create a standardized system for describing the 32 crystallographic point groups and the 230 space groups. This notation became the foundation for modern crystallographic analysis, providing a clear and concise way to represent symmetry operations in crystals.

Beyond crystallography, Mauguin made significant contributions to the study of piezoelectricity, the phenomenon where certain materials generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress. His research helped advance the understanding of this effect, which is now widely used in sensors, actuators, and other electronic devices.

Mauguin was a member of the French Academy of Sciences and received numerous honors for his work, including the Prix Jules-Janssen in 1921. He also served as a professor at the Sorbonne and contributed to various scientific journals. His legacy endures in crystallography, where the Hermann–Mauguin notation remains a fundamental tool for describing crystal structures.

Mauguin’s work bridged theoretical physics and applied science, leaving a lasting impact on the study of materials and their symmetries. His contributions continue to be essential in fields ranging from mineralogy to materials engineering.