Algebraic structure → Group theory Group theory |
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In the theory of lattices, the dual lattice is a construction analogous to that of a dual vector space. In certain respects, the geometry of the dual lattice of a lattice is the reciprocal of the geometry of , a perspective which underlies many of its uses.
Dual lattices have many applications inside of lattice theory, theoretical computer science, cryptography and mathematics more broadly. For instance, it is used in the statement of the Poisson summation formula, transference theorems provide connections between the geometry of a lattice and that of its dual, and many lattice algorithms exploit the dual lattice.
For an article with emphasis on the physics / chemistry applications, see Reciprocal lattice. This article focuses on the mathematical notion of a dual lattice.