Quasicrystal structure and growth models: discussion of the status quo and the still open questions

Abstract

Where are we now in quasicrystal (QC) research more than three decades after Dan Shechtman’s discovery? Do we fully understand the origin of quasiperiodicity, the formation, growth, thermodynamic stability, structure and properties of quasicrystals? First, I will shortly present the status quo, then I will address the still open questions, and identify potential focus areas for future research. Because of the limited space, I will focus on decagonal quasicrystals (DQCs); the status quo for research on icosahedral quasicrystals (IQCs) is comparable.