Pierre Weiss | |
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Born | |
Died | 24 October 1940 | (aged 75)
Nationality | French |
Known for | Curie–Weiss law Mean field theory Magnetic domain Weiss magneton Magnetocaloric effect Cotton-Weiss method |
Awards | Commandeur of the Legion of Honor (1935)[1] |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Physics, magnetism |
Institutions | University of Rennes, University of Lyon, ETH Zurich, University of Strasbourg, |
Thesis | Recherches sur l'aimantation de la magnétite cristallisée et de quelques alliages de fer et d’antimoine (1896) |
Doctoral advisor | Jules Violle Marcel Brillouin |
Doctoral students | Louis Néel Charles Sadron |
Pierre-Ernest Weiss (25 March 1865, Mulhouse – 24 October 1940, Lyon) was a French physicist who specialized in magnetism. He developed the domain theory of ferromagnetism in 1907.[2] Weiss domains and the Weiss magneton are named after him. Weiss also developed the molecular or mean field theory, which is often called Weiss-mean-field theory, that led to the discovery of the Curie–Weiss law. Alongside Auguste Piccard, Pierre Weiss is considered one of the first discoverers of the magnetocaloric effect in 1917.[3]
Pierre Weiss made several experimental discoveries that led to the development of the strongest electromagnets of the beginning of the 20th century. He worked at the universities of Rennes, Lyon, ETH Zurich where he was raised, and finally at Strasbourg. In these academic institutions he founded several renown laboratories.
During his lifetime, Weiss was nominated 23 times to the Nobel Prize in Physics.[4]