point defect

American  

noun

Crystallography.

1. an imperfection in a crystal's lattice structure, either a missing atom or ion creating a vacancy in the lattice or an extra atom or ion between two normal lattice points creating an interstitial.

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point defect British  

noun

1. an imperfection in a crystal, characterized by one unoccupied lattice position or one interstitial atom, molecule, or ion

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Example Sentences

Because nitrogen only has three electrons to share with its neighbors, compared to carbon’s four, this creates what’s called a point defect in the diamond.

From Forbes