gittertyp

Gittertyp is the German term for lattice type in crystallography. It describes the arrangement of lattice points in a crystal that is repeated periodically in three dimensions. The lattice type is a key aspect of the Bravais lattice concept, which underpins the classification of crystal structures.

Most crystals can be described by one of the 14 Bravais lattice types, each corresponding to a lattice system (such as cubic, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic, triclinic, hexagonal, or rhombohedral) and a centering pattern (primitive, body-centered, face-centered, or base-centered). The lattice type determines the geometry of the unit cell and the symmetry operations that leave the lattice invariant.

The lattice type influences physical properties that are sensitive to symmetry, such as anisotropic elastic behavior and diffraction patterns. It also constrains possible space groups and, together with basis atoms, determines the full crystal structure.

In practice, the term is used in mineralogy, solid-state chemistry, and materials science to classify and compare structures. Databases and software for crystallography often include the lattice type as a fundamental attribute, aiding indexing, visualization, and computational modeling.

Historically, the concept emerged in the 19th century as scientists formalized the periodic arrangement of matter. While several lattice types can be described in both German and English literature, "Gittertyp" remains a standard term in German-language crystallography and education.