Jahn–Teller effect

E399095

molecular physics concept physical effect solid-state physics concept

The Jahn–Teller effect is a phenomenon in molecular and solid-state physics where electronically degenerate states cause spontaneous geometric distortions that lower a system’s symmetry and energy.

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All labels observed (3)

Label	Occurrences
Jahn-Teller effect	1
Jahn–Teller distortion	1
Jahn–Teller effect canonical	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T3919315 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Jahn–Teller effect
Context triple: [Longuet-Higgins theorem in molecular symmetry, relatesTo, Jahn–Teller effect]

A. Herzberg–Teller approximation
The Herzberg–Teller approximation is a refinement in molecular spectroscopy that accounts for vibronic coupling by allowing electronic transition dipole moments to depend on nuclear coordinates, explaining intensity in otherwise forbidden transitions.
B. Landau–Peierls instability
Landau–Peierls instability is a theoretical prediction in condensed matter physics that shows how long-wavelength thermal fluctuations destroy true long-range positional order in low-dimensional crystalline systems.
C. Peierls transition
The Peierls transition is a phase transition in one-dimensional metals where a periodic lattice distortion opens an energy gap at the Fermi surface, turning the system from a metal into an insulator or semiconductor.
D. Franck–Condon principle
The Franck–Condon principle is a rule in molecular spectroscopy that explains the intensity distribution of vibronic transitions by assuming electronic transitions occur much faster than nuclear motion, making vertical transitions between vibrational states most probable.
E. Szilard–Chalmers effect
The Szilard–Chalmers effect is a nuclear chemistry phenomenon in which atoms that undergo neutron capture and become radioactive are chemically separated from their original, non-activated atoms due to recoil-induced disruption of their chemical bonds.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: Jahn–Teller effect
Target entity description: The Jahn–Teller effect is a phenomenon in molecular and solid-state physics where electronically degenerate states cause spontaneous geometric distortions that lower a system’s symmetry and energy.

A. Herzberg–Teller approximation
The Herzberg–Teller approximation is a refinement in molecular spectroscopy that accounts for vibronic coupling by allowing electronic transition dipole moments to depend on nuclear coordinates, explaining intensity in otherwise forbidden transitions.
B. Landau–Peierls instability
Landau–Peierls instability is a theoretical prediction in condensed matter physics that shows how long-wavelength thermal fluctuations destroy true long-range positional order in low-dimensional crystalline systems.
C. Peierls transition
The Peierls transition is a phase transition in one-dimensional metals where a periodic lattice distortion opens an energy gap at the Fermi surface, turning the system from a metal into an insulator or semiconductor.
D. Franck–Condon principle
The Franck–Condon principle is a rule in molecular spectroscopy that explains the intensity distribution of vibronic transitions by assuming electronic transitions occur much faster than nuclear motion, making vertical transitions between vibrational states most probable.
E. Szilard–Chalmers effect
The Szilard–Chalmers effect is a nuclear chemistry phenomenon in which atoms that undergo neutron capture and become radioactive are chemically separated from their original, non-activated atoms due to recoil-induced disruption of their chemical bonds.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (49)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	molecular physics concept ⓘ physical effect ⓘ solid-state physics concept ⓘ
alsoKnownAs	Jahn–Teller distortion ⓘ linked to: Jahn–Teller effect
appliesTo	crystal lattices ⓘ nonlinear molecules ⓘ octahedral complexes ⓘ tetrahedral complexes ⓘ transition metal complexes ⓘ
cause	electronic degeneracy ⓘ
consequence	anisotropy of physical properties ⓘ splitting of degenerate electronic energy levels ⓘ
describes	spontaneous geometric distortion of molecules or crystals ⓘ
doesNotApplyTo	linear molecules ⓘ
dynamicVariantInvolves	rapid interconversion between equivalent distorted structures ⓘ
effect	lowering of electronic energy ⓘ lowering of molecular symmetry ⓘ
example	distortion of Mn(III) octahedral complexes ⓘ elongation of octahedral Cu(II) complexes ⓘ
field	molecular physics ⓘ quantum chemistry ⓘ solid-state physics ⓘ
governs	distortions of E and T electronic states in high-symmetry environments ⓘ
hasVariant	dynamic Jahn–Teller effect ⓘ static Jahn–Teller effect ⓘ
holdsFor	excited electronic states with degeneracy ⓘ ground electronic states with degeneracy ⓘ
importantFor	defect centers in crystals ⓘ high-temperature superconducting cuprates ⓘ interpretation of electronic spectra ⓘ magnetic properties of transition metal complexes ⓘ properties of perovskite oxides ⓘ structure of coordination compounds ⓘ
mathematicalFramework	group theory ⓘ vibronic coupling Hamiltonians ⓘ
mechanism	coupling between electronic states and nuclear motions ⓘ
namedAfter	Edward Teller ⓘ Hermann Arthur Jahn ⓘ
predicts	instability of electronically degenerate states in nonlinear systems ⓘ
pseudoVariantInvolves	interaction of nondegenerate but closely spaced electronic states via vibrations ⓘ
relatedConcept	pseudo–Jahn–Teller effect ⓘ
relatedTo	crystal field theory ⓘ electronic degeneracy ⓘ ligand field theory ⓘ molecular orbital theory ⓘ symmetry breaking ⓘ
staticVariantInvolves	fixed distortion at low temperature ⓘ
typeOf	vibronic coupling effect ⓘ
yearProposed	1937 ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Longuet-Higgins theorem in molecular symmetry → relatesTo → Jahn–Teller effect ⓘ

Peierls transition → relatedTo → Jahn-Teller effect ⓘ

linked to: Jahn–Teller effect

Jahn–Teller effect → alsoKnownAs → Jahn–Teller distortion ⓘ