Meanings
nounWannier function (plural Wannier functions)
plural Wannier functions
- natural sciencesAny of a set of orthogonal functions used in solid-state physics; they are the localized molecular orbitals of crystalline systems.
The Wannier functions (WF)^(35,36) are the most localized orbitals within the valence-band and conduction-band subspaces. Hence we will use WF as ϕₗ in Eqs (1) and (2).
2016 April 26, Jie Ma, Lin-Wang Wang, “Using Wannier functions to improve solid band gap predictions in density functional theory”, in Scientific Reports, volume 6, →DOI, article 24924, page 2
Origin
Named after Swiss physicist Gregory Wannier (1911–1983).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
Wannier function. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wannier%20function
MLA
“Wannier function.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wannier%20function. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Wannier function,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Wannier%20function.
Source: Wannier function on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.