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DE BROGLIE WAVELENGTH
 In 1924, French physicist Louis de
Broglie postulated in his PhD dissertation
that if light with a wave phenomenon
acts like a particle, then a particle may
also have a wavelike behavior. He
further theorized that the wavelength of a
particle is related to Planck’s constant
and inversely proportional to its
momentum. This relationship is
represented by the equation known as
the de Broglie wavelength:
To prevent other molecules from hitting
the electrons, the setup is placed in a
vacuum chamber. They performed the
experiment by bombarding a beam of
electrons coming from an electron gun,
which is positioned perpendicularly to a
single crystal of nickel. They measured the
intensity of the scattered beam after hitting
the nickel crystal using a movable detector,
where a galvanometer is attached.
A galvanometer is a device which detects
and measures small electric currents.
 They found nothing significant in their
experiment until their setup was broken. When
air accidentally entered the setup, the nickel
was oxidized. To decrease the oxide in the
pure nickel, extreme heat was applied to the
nickel and was used again to continue the
experiment. After bombarding the
recrystallized nickel with a beam of electrons,
they observed that the intensity of the
scattered beam was at the maximum at 50°.
They noted that this peak in the intensity is
where constructive interference
occurs. Constructive interference is a process
where two waves meet and add up.
 Recrystallizing the nickel made small holes
in the crystal which served as a diffraction
grating. A diffraction grating is an optical
device made of glass or metal with a band of
equidistant, parallel lines. When a wave
encounters a diffraction grating, it bends or
diffracts. In the experiment of Davisson and
Germer, the beam of electrons that passed
through several small holes was diffracted.
This diffraction of electrons shows one of the
properties of a wave.
 Waves that come from different openings
or diffraction gratings, which are the small
holes in the recrystallized nickel, meet and
form interference patterns. Interference is a
process where two waves meet. Waves can
add up or interfere constructively. They can
also interfere destructively when they cancel
each other.
EXPLORE
It took scientists a long time to reconcile the
dual nature of light, which led to the idea of the
duality of matter. To further see an evidence of
this concept, try to observe the smoke coming
from a barbecue grill. From a distance, you will
see a wave flow of smoke going up, but look
closely into it, what do you see? Does your
observation tell something about the dual nature
of matter?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Aside from diffraction, what are the other
characteristics of a wave that differentiates it
from a particle?
KEY POINTS
 In 1924, French physicist LOUIS DE
BROGLIE postulated that a particle, like an
electron, may also behave like a wave.
 The de Broglie wavelength shows that the
wavelength of a particle is related to
Planck’s constant, and is inversely
proportional to its momentum.
 Electron is one of the subatomic particles in
an atom that has a wave-like behavior. The
experiments done by CLINTON
DAVISSON and LESTER GERMER in 1927
showed that it can be bent or diffracted, a
characteristic behavior of waves.
THANK YOU!!!
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