Special lines of quasilattices. I. The case of irreducible quasilattices in two and three dimensions (Q4713623)

The generators \(e_ 1,\ldots,e_ D\) of the translation group \(L\) of a \(d\)-dimensional quasicrystal (\(D>d\)) form a dense set called by the author ``Pre-Quasi Lattice''. The embedding of a quasicrystal as a lattice-periodic structure in a \(D\)-dimensional Euclidean space leads to a space group symmetry of the embedded structure. This is achieved by a 1-to-1 mapping of the \(Z\)-module basis \(e_ 1,\dots,e_ D\) onto a \(D\)- dimensional lattice basis. Instead of considering in the higher-dimensional space the manifolds of points with non-trivial site symmetry (defining Wyckoff positions in the direct space and correspondingly special points of the Brillouin Zone in the reciprocal space) the author prefers to stay in the \(d\)-dimensional space of the quasicrystal considering the subgroup of the Euclidean group \(E_ d\) which has \(L\) as group of translations and is isomorphic to the higher-dimensional space group. This underlying algebraic relation allows to consider special points and lines in the reciprocal space without speaking of a Brillouin Zone, which is not there because of incommensurability. Let me remark, that the price one pays by avoiding the higher dimensional approach is a theory which is still based on implicit properties of the special cases the author has in mind: the 3-dimensional icosahedral and the 2-dimensional octagonal, decagonal and dodecagonal quasicrystal cases. In previous papers [ibid. 22, 4281-4293, 4295-4302 (1989; Zbl 0728.52011 and Zbl 0728.52012), 23, 4569-4580 (1990; Zbl 0717.52016)] the author derived the special points. The present paper deals with the special lines. The results for the cases mentioned above are summarized in corresponding tables. The meaning of these lines for a quasiperiodic tiling is also given.