Algebraic Characterization of the Voronoi Cell Structure of the $A_n$ Lattice

Abstract: We characterized the combinatorial structure of the Voronoi cell of the $A_n$ lattice in arbitrary dimensions. Based on the well-known fact that the Voronoi cell is the disjoint union of $(n+1)!$ congruent simplices, we show that it is the disjoint union of $(n+1)$ congruent hyper-rhombi, which are the generalized rhombi or trigonal trapezohedra. The explicit structure of the faces is investigated, including the fact that all the $k$-dimensional faces, $2\le k\le n-1$, are hyper-rhombi. We show it to be the vertex-first orthogonal projection of the $(n+1)$-dimensional unit cube. Hence the Voronoi cell is a zonotope. We prove that in low dimensions ($n\le 3$) the Voronoi cell can be understood as the section of that of the $D_{n+1}$ lattice with the hyperplane orthogonal to the diagonal direction. We provide all the explicit coordinates and transformation matrices associated with our analysis. Most of our analysis is algebraic and easily accessible to those less familiar with the Coxeter-Dynkin diagrams.