Louis Victor De-Broglie

1. Louis-Victor de Broglie Birth – August 15, 1892 (Dieppe, France) Death – March 19, 1987 (Paris, France)

2. Greatest Accomplishment Awarded Nobel Prize in Physics (1929) – Discovery of the Wave Nature of Electrons (Wave-Particle Duality) ~Introduced theory of electron waves – Doctoral thesis: “Researches on the quantum theory” “Having much more the state of mind of a pure theoretician than that of an experimenter or engineer, loving especially the general and philosophical view, I was drawn towards the problems of atomic physics…It was the conceptual difficulties which these problems raised; it was the mystery which surrounded that famous Planck’s constant, h, which measures the quantum of action; it was the disturbing and badly-defined character of the dualism of waves and corpuscles, which appeared to assert itself more and more in the realms of physics…” Quote

3. Ethnic Background ~Born in Dieppe, France ~ ”De Broglie” family name – Derived from small town in Normandy, France Personal Life and Family History ~Louis-Victor de Broglie – 2 nd Son of French Nobility, Brother - Maurice ~Father: Victor, 5 th duc de Broglie ~ Mother: Pauline d’Armaille ~De Broglies achieved superior distinctions – Politicians, Diplomats, Soldiers, 4 Marshals of France ~Never married throughout life

4. Education ~Educated by private tutors at home – Until Father’s death (1906) ~Sent to Lycee Janson de Sailly for 3 years – Completed Secondary School education (1909) ~Advanced to University of Sorbonne – Graduated with history degree (1910) ~Studied theoretical physics at University of Sorbonne at 18 years of age – Originally intended to be involved in Diplomatic Service

5. ~Active in Wireless Telegraphy during World War I – Served in station at the Eiffel Tower ~Professor of Theoretical Physics at Henri Poincare Institute (1928) ~Permanent Secretary to French Academy of Sciences (1933) ~Elected to literary Academy of France ~Elected foreign associate of the US National Academy of Sciences ~Elected foreign member of the Royal Society of London ~Elected foreign member of British Royal Society ~Became 7 th duc de Broglie after Maurice’s death Positions Held

6. Contributions to Science Community ~Influenced by Planck’s studies and Einstein’s proposals regarding wavelengths composition of particles and the particle nature of light – De Broglie proposed Wave-Particle Duality – Particles behave as waves and waves behave as particles ~Distance between two successive crests of De Broglie wave – De Broglie wavelength ~De Broglie’s theory of electron matter waves – Used by Erwin Schrodinger to construct wave mechanics ~Established center at Henri Poincare Institute for applied mechanics – Researched optics, cybernetics, atomic energy ~Wrote at least 25 books – Waves and Motions (1926), Wave Mechanics (1928), Non-linear Wave Mechanics: A Casual Interpretation (1960), etc.

7. Awards Received ~Nobel Prize in Physics (1929) – Swedish Academy of Sciences ~Henri Poincare Medal (1929) – Academie des Sciences ~Albert I of Monaco Prize (1932) – Academie des Sciences ~ Kalinga Prize (1952) – United Nations Economic and Social Council ~Gold Medal (1956) – French National Scientific Research Centre ~Grand Cross of the Legion d’Honneur ~Officer of the Order of Leopold of Belgium ~Honorary membership of 18 Academies and Learned Societies

8. Illustrations and Diagrams ~Quantum Physics ~Wave-Particle Duality

9. References http ://www.biographybase.com/biography/de_Broglie_Louis_Victor.html   http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/80727/Louis-Victor-7e-duc-de-Broglie http ://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1929/broglie-bio.html   http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/scientists/LdBroglie.htm   http://www.suite101.com/content/louis-de-broglie-physicist-a48213   http ://biography.yourdictionary.com/louis-victor-pierre-raymond-de-broglie http ://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/Biographies/Broglie.html http ://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EZWNQhIJDqs/SdNWrbrZ3CI/AAAAAAAABkg/7ClfVd9XmhU/s400/Atom+diagram+observer.jpg http :// www.blacklightpower.com/theory/DoubleSlit/Fig_37- 4_Two_Slit_Duality.jpg http :// plus.maths.org/issue43/features/noncom/diagram.gif Student ID 95028632