1. Birth – August 15, 1892 (Dieppe, France)
Death – March 19, 1987 (Paris, France)
2. 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…”
3. ~Born in Dieppe, France
~”De Broglie” family name –
Derived from small town in Normandy, France
~Louis-Victor de Broglie –
2nd Son of French Nobility, Brother - Maurice
~Father: Victor, 5th duc de Broglie
~Mother: Pauline d’Armaille
~De Broglies achieved superior distinctions –
Politicians, Diplomats, Soldiers, 4 Marshals of France
~Never married throughout life
4. ~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 7th duc de Broglie after Maurice’s death
6. ~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. ~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
