Crystallography

is the science which study the structure of condensed matter on the atomic scale. A large proportion of this matter exists in crystalline form, in minerals, ore, metals and alloys, ceramics, cements, teeth, bones, most of organic and inorganic products, vitamins, proteins and viruses,.... For this reason, crystallography is an interdisciplinary branch of science, reaching across solid state physics, material science, chemistry, biology, and the earth sciences.

The spatial arrangement of atoms in matter is closely related to its properties and this is why basic and applied research often get help from the crystallographic methodology. The research techniques are essentially based on the phenomenon of diffraction, be it by X-ray, synchrotron radiation, electrons or neutrons. Optical microscopy, calorimetry, RMN spectroscopy or X-ray topography are also often used. Samples to be studied can be either in form of powder of single crystals.

The evolution of crystallography has been accelerated during the past few decadeds owing to many factors: theoretical development on the structure of matter, the establishment of new synchrotron and neutron research facilities combined with the development of new area detectors.

Crystallography is well implanted in the Swiss research and education system. This is without doubt due to fundamental Swiss contributors which have acquired international recognition. In particular, we can cite Paul Niggli (1888-1953), Paul Scherrer (1890-1969), Fritz Laves (1906-1978), Werner Nowacki (1909-1988)and more recently Jack Dunitz (1923).

On the occasion of its 125th jubilee, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie a proposé has proposed a large debate on the past, present and future of crystallography. Following you will find the contributions from the members of the Laboratory of crystallography freely accessible on the web : http://www.zkristallogr.de, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, 2002, Volume 217, Issue 07/08):

Chapuis G., Crystallography and crystallographers. Personal reflections on the past, the present and the future of crystallography on the occasion of the 125-year anniversary of Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 217, pp. 291-292, 2002. Reprint: pdf [50 KB]  Copyright © Oldenbourg Verlag München  online: Zeitschrift für Kristallographie

Schwarzenbach D., Crystallography and crystallographers. Personal reflections on the past, the present and the future of crystallography on the occasion of the 125-year anniversary of Zeitschrift für Kristallographie, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 217, pp. 366-367, 2002. Reprint: pdf [70 KB]  Copyright © Oldenbourg Verlag München  online: Zeitschrift für Kristallographie

Crystallography in one clic