Defects in Crystal Structure

Defects in Crystal Structure
Crystal Structure
Ideal Crystal= lattice(3D periodic arrangements

of points) + Basis(an atom or group of atoms)
Defects in Crystal Structure
• Crystals wi ll have a regular periodic
arrangement of atoms.
• Any deviation from this periodicity is known as
defects or imperfections in crystals.
• Definition: The deviation from the perfect
periodicity of atomic arrays i n crystals is
known as crystal defects.
• Imperfections in the regular geometrical arrangement of the
atoms
Causes & Effects
• Result from the deformation of the solid, rapid cooling
from high temperatures, or high-energy radiation
• Defects are more if the process of crystallization
occurs at a faster rate
• Defects change the original physical and chemical
properties of the crystalline solids
• The crystal defects affect their properties such
as mechanical strength, ductility, crystal
growth, dielectric strength, magnetic
hysteresis, conductivity, etc.
Types of Crystal Defects
A perfect crystal, with every atom of
the same type in correct position,
does not exist.
Thus, all crystals have some defects.
The defects in crystals may be
confined to a point, line, surface and
volume.
1. Point Defect: (0D)
2. Line Defect (1D)
3. Surface Defect (2D)
4. Volume Defect (3D)
Point defects
• When an atom is missing or an
atom is in an irregular place in
the lattice structure, the
corresponding defects are
known as point defects.
• A point defect produces strain
in a small volume of the
crystal surrounding the
crystal, but does not affect the
perfections distant parts of the
crystal
Point defects
Point defects are of following types:
(1) Vacancies
(2) Interstitial defects
(3) Substitutional defects
(4) Frenkel’s defect
(5) Schottky’s defect
1. Vacancies
Point defects
Vacancies are simplest point defects i n a
crystal which refers to a missing atom at its
site.
Definition: The defects due to the
missing atoms at their lattice sites are
called vacancies
• Vacancy defects are mainly due to the
imperfect packing during the formation
of crystal or due to thermal vibrations of
atoms at high temperature.
• A t high temperature atoms are
frequently and regularly change
their positions leaving empty
lattice sites behind their positions.
2. Interstitial defect
An extra atom occupies the
interstitial position (normally
not occupied).
Self Interstitial: When the
atom of the same type as
those already present occupies
the interstitial site.
Interstitial impurity:
A foreign atom substitutes the
position of parent atom in the
crystal lattice.
3. Substitutional defect:
• Definition: When an impurity
atom occupies the one of the
positions of the parent atoms of
the crystal, then such a defect is
known as substitutional defect.
• A substitutional impurity atom
is an atom of a different type
than the bulk atoms.
• Usually, substitutional atoms
are close in size (within
approximately 15%) to the bulk
atom.
• Schottky defect
• I t is special case of vacancy defects i n ionic
crystals
• I n ionic crystals, there are two types of
possible vacancies, namely cation (+ve ion)
vacancies and anion (–ve ion) vacancies.
Definition
A pair of positive and negative ions are missiing. So pair
of ion vacancies are called schottky defects.
• When a +ve ion from the interior of the
lattice moves out of the crystal to its surface,
then a +ve vacancy is formed at its site.
• The formation of +ve ion vacancy results i n

excess negative charge inside the crystal.
• To maintain charge neutrality, a –ve ion

moves to the crystal surface creating a
• –ve ion vacancy at its site.
Frenkel defect
 I t is special case of vacancy and
inter s titial defects i n ionic crystals.
 Definition: When an ion displaced from a
regular location i n the crystal lattice to an
interstitial location i n the crystal lattice , then
this type of defect is called the Frenkel defect.
 Consider the periodic distribution of +ve and
–ve ions i n an ionic crystal.
 When a +ve ion leave its site and settles i n
the inter stitial position then i t creates a
vacancy i n its position.
 Thus, a vacancy and inter s titial defects are
created. This pair of defects is known as
Frankel defect.
 I n case of Frankel defect also charge
neutrality is maintained.
Line Defect (1D)
• These are also
called as linear
defects or
dislocations.
• These are one-
dimensional defects
• Dislocation or
distortion of atoms in a
row
Edge Dislocation
• I f one of the vertical planes
does not extended to the full
length, but ends in between,
within the crystal, then such a
defect is known as edge
dislocation.
• Because of dislocation, (i) just
above the discontinuity, the
atoms are squeezed and are in
state of compression and (ii)
just below the discontinuity;
the atoms are pulled apart and
are in state of tension
• The distorted configuration spreads
all along the edge into the crystal.
• Thus, the maximum distortion is
centered around the edge of the
incomplete plane.
• Edge dislocations are symbolically
represented by ┴ or ┬.
• When the incomplete plane
starts from the top of the
crystal, then i t is called positive
edge dislocation and
is represented by “┴”
• When the incomplete plane starts
from the bottom of the crystal,
then i t is called negative edge
dislocation and is represented by
Screw Dislocation
• The screw dislocations are
also known as Burger
dislocations.
• It is the displacement of one
part of crystal relative to the
rest of crystal forming a spiral
ramp around dislocation
• When two equal forces but in
opposite direction are exerted
on ideal crystal it results in
screw dislocation.
• Burger vector shows magnitude
and direction of shift of the
lattice
Burger Vector
• The magnitude and direction of the
lattice distortion associated with a
dislocation is called Burger vector.
• Dislocations are quantitatively described
by the Burger vector, and is donated by
‘b’
• The magnitude of Burger vector is
found by drawing a closed circuit
around the dislocation line. This
circuit is called Burger’s circuit
Burger Vector
When the same operation
is performed on the crystal,
we end up to at point Q
instead of the starting
Perfect crystal edge dislocated
point P.
we have to move an extra step

to return to point P in order to
close the Burger circuit.
The magnitude and direction of
the step is called Burger Vector.

Screwed dislocated
Burger vector = QP= b
I n case of a crystal w i t h a screw dislocation, the
circuit would not be completed and requires an extra
step b = FA, parallel to the dislocation axis to close
Surface defect
Occurs on the surface due to imperfect positioning of
atoms during crystallization
• Surface defects are two-dimensional defects
that separate two regions of the crystal.
• Surface imperfections are
metastable imperfections.
• I f the crystal is heated close to its
melting point, many of the surface
imperfections disappear.
• Grain Boundary
These defects separate grains of different
orientation from each other in polycrystalline
material
Twin Boundary
• Boundary in the grains at
which the atomic
arrangement on one side of
the boundary is the mirror
image of the atoms on the
other side
Volume defect (3D)
• A cluster of atoms are missing

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Defects in Crystal Structure

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Defects in Crystal Structure

Ideal Crystal= lattice(3D periodic arrangements

• The formation of +ve ion vacancy results i n

• To maintain charge neutrality, a –ve ion

we have to move an extra step

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