Brillouin zone

noun

Bril·​louin zone

¦brēyə¦waⁿ-

in solid state theory

: one of the limited ranges within which the energy and momentum of an electron in a metallic crystal may vary continuously without any quantum jumps

Word History

Etymology

after Louis M. Brillouin †1948 French physicist

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!