Maurice, 6th duc de Broglie
Encyclopedia
Louis-César-Victor-Maurice, 6th duc de Broglie (27 April 1875–14 July 1960), was a French physicist
.
, to Victor de Broglie, 5th duc de Broglie. In 1901, he was married to Camille Bernou de Rochetaillée (1888-1966) in Paris. They had one daughter, Laure, born on 17 November 1904, who died, aged six, on 12 June 1911. He acceded to the title of duc de Broglie on his father's death in 1906. He died on 14 July 1960 in Neuilly-sur-Seine
(Hauts-de-Seine
). His only child having died almost a half-century before, his brother Louis succeeded him as duke.
Having graduated from naval officer's school, Maurice de Broglie spent nine years in the French Navy
, serving on a gunboat at Bizerte
and in the Mediterranean Squadron. While serving, he became interested in physics, and began doing research on electromagnetism
. Broglie defied his family's wishes and left the navy in 1904 to pursue a scientific career. He studied under Paul Langevin
at the Collège de France
in Paris
, receiving his doctorate
in 1908.
diffraction
and spectroscopy
. During the First World War
, he worked on radio
communications for the navy. After the war, he resumed his research at a large laboratory in his home. He occasionally collaborated with his younger brother Louis, who followed his professional lead and was training as a physicist, and they coauthored a paper in 1921. After Louis de Broglie's rise to prominence in the 1920s, building on some of their shared research, the elder Broglie physicist continued his own research. While Louis was primarily a theoretician, Maurice himself was always the experimental physicist par excellence.
He became a member of the Académie des sciences in 1924, and in 1934 was elected to the Académie française
, replacing the historian Pierre de La Gorce
. He had the unique honor of welcoming his own brother into the Academy on the latter's induction. In 1942 he succeeded his mentor, assuming Langevin's chair in physics at the Collège de France. He was also elected to the Royal Society of London on 23 May 1940, having received the Royal Society's Hughes Medal
in 1928.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
.
Early years
Maurice de Broglie was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, to Victor de Broglie, 5th duc de Broglie. In 1901, he was married to Camille Bernou de Rochetaillée (1888-1966) in Paris. They had one daughter, Laure, born on 17 November 1904, who died, aged six, on 12 June 1911. He acceded to the title of duc de Broglie on his father's death in 1906. He died on 14 July 1960 in Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
(Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
). His only child having died almost a half-century before, his brother Louis succeeded him as duke.
Having graduated from naval officer's school, Maurice de Broglie spent nine years in the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, serving on a gunboat at Bizerte
Bizerte
Bizerte or Benzert , is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 .-History:...
and in the Mediterranean Squadron. While serving, he became interested in physics, and began doing research on electromagnetism
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
. Broglie defied his family's wishes and left the navy in 1904 to pursue a scientific career. He studied under Paul Langevin
Paul Langevin
Paul Langevin was a prominent French physicist who developed Langevin dynamics and the Langevin equation. He was one of the founders of the Comité de vigilance des intellectuels antifascistes, an antifascist organization created in the wake of the 6 February 1934 far right riots...
at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, receiving his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in 1908.
Career
He made advances in the study of X-rayX-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
diffraction
Diffraction
Diffraction refers to various phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle. Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi coined the word "diffraction" and was the first to record accurate observations of the phenomenon in 1665...
and spectroscopy
Spectroscopy
Spectroscopy is the study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy. Historically, spectroscopy originated through the study of visible light dispersed according to its wavelength, e.g., by a prism. Later the concept was expanded greatly to comprise any interaction with radiative...
. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he worked on radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
communications for the navy. After the war, he resumed his research at a large laboratory in his home. He occasionally collaborated with his younger brother Louis, who followed his professional lead and was training as a physicist, and they coauthored a paper in 1921. After Louis de Broglie's rise to prominence in the 1920s, building on some of their shared research, the elder Broglie physicist continued his own research. While Louis was primarily a theoretician, Maurice himself was always the experimental physicist par excellence.
He became a member of the Académie des sciences in 1924, and in 1934 was elected to the Académie française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
, replacing the historian Pierre de La Gorce
Pierre de La Gorce
Pierre de La Gorce was a French magistrate, lawyer and historian, as well as a member of the Académie française....
. He had the unique honor of welcoming his own brother into the Academy on the latter's induction. In 1942 he succeeded his mentor, assuming Langevin's chair in physics at the Collège de France. He was also elected to the Royal Society of London on 23 May 1940, having received the Royal Society's Hughes Medal
Hughes Medal
The Hughes Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of London "in recognition of an original discovery in the physical sciences, particularly electricity and magnetism or their applications". Named after David E. Hughes, the medal is awarded with a gift of £1000. The medal was first awarded in 1902 to...
in 1928.