(a) In three dimensions, define a Bravais lattice $\Lambda$ and its reciprocal lattice $\Lambda^{*}$.

A particle is subject to a potential $V(\mathbf{x})$ with $V(\mathbf{x})=V(\mathbf{x}+\mathbf{r})$ for $\mathbf{x} \in \mathbb{R}^{3}$ and $\mathbf{r} \in \Lambda$. State and prove Bloch's theorem and specify how the Brillouin zone is related to the reciprocal lattice.

(b) A body-centred cubic lattice $\Lambda_{B C C}$ consists of the union of the points of a cubic lattice $\Lambda_{1}$ and all the points $\Lambda_{2}$ at the centre of each cube:

$$\begin{aligned} \Lambda_{B C C} & \equiv \Lambda_{1} \cup \Lambda_{2}, \\ \Lambda_{1} & \equiv\left\{\mathbf{r} \in \mathbb{R}^{3}: \mathbf{r}=n_{1} \hat{\mathbf{i}}+n_{2} \hat{\mathbf{j}}+n_{3} \hat{\mathbf{k}}, \text { with } n_{1,2,3} \in \mathbb{Z}\right\}, \\ \Lambda_{2} & \equiv\left\{\mathbf{r} \in \mathbb{R}^{3}: \mathbf{r}=\frac{1}{2}(\hat{\mathbf{i}}+\hat{\mathbf{j}}+\hat{\mathbf{k}})+\mathbf{r}^{\prime}, \text { with } \mathbf{r}^{\prime} \in \Lambda_{1}\right\}, \end{aligned}$$

where $\hat{\mathbf{i}}, \hat{\mathbf{j}}$ and $\hat{\mathbf{k}}$ are unit vectors parallel to the Cartesian coordinates in $\mathbb{R}^{3}$. Show that $\Lambda_{B C C}$ is a Bravais lattice and determine the primitive vectors $\mathbf{a}_{1}, \mathbf{a}_{2}$ and $\mathbf{a}_{3}$.

Find the reciprocal lattice $\Lambda_{B C C}^{*} .$ Briefly explain what sort of lattice it is.

$\left[\right.$ Hint: The matrix $M=\frac{1}{2}\left(\begin{array}{ccc}-1 & 1 & 1 \\ 1 & -1 & 1 \\ 1 & 1 & -1\end{array}\right)$ has inverse $M^{-1}=\left(\begin{array}{lll}0 & 1 & 1 \\ 1 & 0 & 1 \\ 1 & 1 & 0\end{array}\right)$.