Cooper pair

noun

1. physics a pair of weakly bound electrons responsible for the transfer of charge in a superconducting material

Cooper pair

/ ko̅o̅′pər /

1. A pair of weakly bound electrons in a superconductor. Cooper pairs have the property of bosons and can thus reside together in a ground state. They are named after their discoverer, American physicist Leon N. Cooper (born 1930).
2. See also Bose-Einstein condensate

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cooper pair¹

C20: named after Leon Neil Cooper (born 1930), US physicist