Past exam of the condensed matter physics course of the University of Oxford / 2017 / 1 / a

With the convention ${\mathbf{a}}_i\cdot {\mathbf{b}}_j=2\pi {\delta }_{ij}$, the reciprocal lattice of a face-centered cubic lattice is a body-centered cubic lattice. The reciprocal conventional cube is parallel to the direct conventional cube and has side $4\pi /a$. In direct-cubic coordinates its points areThe even triples supply the corners of that reciprocal cube and the odd triples its body centres. The atomic basis can change diffraction intensities through its structure factor; it does not change the reciprocal lattice determined by the translation lattice.