De Broglie's hypothesis of matter waves, introduced in his 1924 thesis, fundamentally changed quantum mechanics by proposing that particles exhibit wave-like behavior. His original paper, titled "Recherches sur la théorie des quanta," outlines the derivation of the de Broglie wavelength formula, λ = h/p, where h is Planck's constant and p is momentum. Key references for further exploration include de Broglie's thesis and various scholarly articles discussing the implications of his work on quantum theory.
PREREQUISITESStudents of physics, researchers in quantum mechanics, and anyone interested in the historical development of wave-particle duality will find this discussion beneficial.