quasiparticle

[ kwey-zahy-pahr-ti-kuhl, kwey-sahy-, kwah-see, -zee- ]

noun

, Physics.

1. an entity, as an exciton or phonon, that interacts with elementary particles, but does not exist as a free particle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of quasiparticle¹

First recorded in 1955–60; quasi- + particle

Example Sentences

The researchers intend to use their technique to study more exotic physics in related materials, such as anyons, a new type of quasiparticle that could enable a route to quantum computation.

From Science Daily

By the very nature of the phonon being a quasiparticle in a crystal it can be shown that the same mathematical pattern holds as for their biological counterparts in water.

From Science Daily

If this Majorana quasiparticle could be corralled and controlled, the payoff would be twofold.

From Science Magazine

First put forward 67 years ago, the quasiparticle is a concept physicists use to represent the combined effect of those interactions as a single quantum object for the purposes of quantum mechanical calculations.

From Science Daily

Now, for the first time, Austrian scientists led by Rudolf Grimm have been able to observe in experiments how Fermi polarons -- a special type of quasiparticle -- can interact with each other.

From Science Daily