Section 9.2.2.2.8. Desymmetrization of OD structures

If a fully ordered structure is refined, using the space group determined from the systematic absences in its diffraction pattern and then by using some of its subgroups, serious discrepancies are only rarely encountered. Space groups thus characterize the general symmetry pattern quite well, even in real crystals. However, experience with refined periodic polytypic structures has revealed that there are always significant deviations from the OD symmetry and, moreover, even the atomic coordinates within OD layers in different polytypes of the same family may differ from one another. The OD symmetry thus appears as only an approximation to the actual symmetry pattern of polytypes. This phenomenon was called desymmetrization of OD structures (Ďurovič, 1974b, Ďurovič, 1979).

When trying to understand this phenomenon, let us recall the structure of rock salt. Its symmetry is an expression of the energetically most favourable relative position of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in this structure – the right angles αβγ follow from the symmetry. Since the whole structure is cubic, we cannot expect that the environment of any building unit, e.g. of any octahedron NaCl₆, would exercise on it an influence that would decrease its symmetry; the symmetries of these units and of the whole structure are not `antagonistic'.

Not so in OD structures, where any OD layer is by definition situated in a disturbing environment because its symmetry does not conform to that of the entire structure. `Antagonistic' relations between these symmetries are most drastic in pure MDO structures because of the regular sequence of layers. The partial symmetry operations become irrelevant and the OD groupoid degenerates into the corresponding space group.

The more disordered an OD structure is, the smaller become the disturbing effects that the environment exercises on an OD layer. These can be, at least statistically, neutralized by random positions of neighbouring layers so that partial symmetry operations can retain their relevance throughout the structure. This can be expressed in the form of a paradox: the less periodic an OD structure is, the more symmetric it appears.

Despite desymmetrization, the OD theory remains a geometrical theory that can handle properly the general symmetry pattern of polytypes (which group theory cannot). It establishes a symmetry norm with which deviations observed in real polytypes can be compared. Owing to the high abstraction power of OD considerations, systematics of entire families of polytypes at various degree-of-idealization levels can be worked out, yielding thus a common point of view for their treatment.