Verdet

Verdet is a French surname that appears in historical and contemporary records across Francophone regions. As with many French family names, its exact origin can vary by lineage, and it may reflect local geographic or occupational roots. The name is encountered in genealogical sources and may be carried by individuals in a variety of professions.

In science and optics, the term Verdet constant (spelled with a single d in English) is a well-known concept named after a French physicist. It describes the rotation of the plane of polarization of light as it passes through a material in the presence of a magnetic field, an effect known as Faraday rotation. The Verdet constant is defined as the rotation angle per unit length per unit magnetic field for light at a given wavelength. It depends on the material and the wavelength of light, and its units are typically radians per tesla per meter. This property is fundamental to designing and operating magneto-optical devices such as optical isolators, modulators, and magnetic-field sensors.

Overall, Verd et primarily denotes a surname of French origin, while Verdet is the standardized term used in physics for the magneto-optical rotation constant. The two forms are related by etymology but are used in different contexts.