wavevectordependent

Wavevectordependent is a descriptor for physical quantities whose value varies with the wavevector k, the vector in reciprocal space that represents spatial frequency or crystal momentum. The dependence reflects how a system responds to variations at different length scales and is a central feature in theories with translational symmetry or periodic structure.

In solid state physics and related fields, many quantities are naturally wavevectordependent. Examples include the electronic band structure E_n(k), phonon dispersions ω_j(k), and response functions such as the static susceptibility χ(k) or the dielectric function ε(k, ω). In scattering experiments, observable intensities are often functions of the transferred wavevector k and energy ω, S(k, ω).

Wavevector dependence arises from finite range interactions, spatial order, and boundary conditions. In crystals, periodicity reduces the problem to the first Brillouin zone, and quantities may be plotted as functions of k within that zone. Isotropic, homogeneous media may depend only on the magnitude |k|, while anisotropic or structured materials exhibit directionally dependent k.

Computationally, wavevectordependent properties are obtained by Fourier transforming spatial correlations, solving models in k-space, or sampling the Brillouin zone. Experimentally, they are probed by techniques such as neutron, X-ray, or electron scattering, as well as angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, which reveal how observables vary with k.

Although the term “wavevectordependent” is not standard, it is commonly expressed as wavevector-dependent or wavevector-resolved in many contexts.