excited state

noun

, Physics.

1. any of the energy levels of a physical system, especially an atom, molecule, etc., that has higher energy than the lowest energy level.

excited state

/ ĭk-sī′tĭd /

1. A state of a physical system in which the system has more than the minimum possible potential energy. Excited states tend to be unstable and easily or spontaneously revert to lower energy states, giving off energy.
2. Compare ground state

Word History and Origins

Origin of excited state¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

"Working with this system has highlighted to us the power of the fundamental investigation of materials. As for the hBN system, as a field we can harness excited state dynamics in other new material platforms for use in future quantum technologies," said Dr. Hannah Stern, first author of the paper, who conducted this research at the Cavendish Laboratory and is now a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Lecturer at University of Manchester.

From Science Daily

However, it was unclear what allows two triplet excitons to efficiently combine their energies into a different excited state of a single molecule that then emits a high-energy photon, and this knowledge gap has been a serious bottleneck in the development of such materials.

From Science Daily

The technique developed in this study, all X-ray attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in liquids, allowed them to "watch" electrons energized by X-rays as they move into an excited state, all before the bulkier atomic nucleus has time to move.

From Science Daily

Proton beams were directed at a thin iron film target, generating the first excited state of 56Fe nuclei.

From Science Daily

Only a few transition metal complexes with Earth-abundant metal ions have so far advanced to excited state oxidants, including chromium, iron, and cobalt.

From Science Daily