Solidification of Icosahedral Quasicrystals: Viewpoint Based on a Quaternion Orientational Order Parameter and the Formation of the E8 Lattice

Abstract: In this article, the solidification phase transition between isotropic liquids and icosahedral quasicrystalline structures is classified by the application of a quaternion orientational order parameter. We suggest that the formation of the E8 lattice in 8-dimensions, from which three-dimensional icosahedral quasicrystals derive by projection, occurs without dimensionally restricting the degrees of freedom of the quaternion orientational order parameter to the quaternion plane. This is different from the development of regular crystalline solids in three-dimensions, which occurs in "restricted dimensions" and requires topological-ordering, as previously discussed by the authors. In other words, herein, the formation of lattices in eight-dimensions is considered as a higher-dimensional analogy to the formation of "bulk" superfluidity. It follows that, the solidification of lattices in 8-dimensions (and derivative icosahedral quasicrystalline solids) should occur without the necessity of topological defects.