Vector module

Vector module

Module vectoriel (Fr.)

Synonymous: Z-module

Definition

A vector module is the set of vectors spanned by a number n of basis vectors with integer coefficients. The basis vectors should be independent over the integers, which means that any linear combination [math]\sum_i m_i {\bf a}_i[/math] with m_i integers is equal to zero if, and only if, all coefficients m_i are zero. The term Z-module is sometimes used to underline the condition that the coefficients are integers. The number of basis vectors is the rank of the vector module.

Comment

An n-dimensional lattice in an n-dimensional vector space is an example of a vector module, with rank n. In reciprocal space, the reciprocal lattice corresponding to a crystallographic structure is a special case of a vector module. The Bragg peaks for the crystal fall on the positions of the reciprocal lattice. More generally, the Bragg peaks of an m-dimensional aperiodic crystal structure belong to a vector module of rank n, larger than n.