coherer

American  

[koh-heer-er, -her-] / koʊˈhɪər ər, -ˈhɛr- /

noun

1. a person or thing that coheres.

2. Radio. a device usually used in detecting radio waves, as a tube filled with a conducting substance in granular form, whose electrical resistance increases when struck by radio waves.

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coherer British  

/ kəʊˈhɪərə /

noun

1. physics an electrical component formerly used to detect radio waves, consisting of a tube containing loosely packed metal particles. The waves caused the particles to cohere, thereby changing the current through the circuit

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Etymology

Origin of coherer

First recorded in 1890–95; cohere + -er ¹

Example Sentences

He invented the coherer for the detection of electric waves and to him Marconi’s first wireless message was addressed.

From Scientific American • Oct. 28, 2011

I remember building my first "coherer" set, using filings from the milled edges of a nickel and a quarter.

From Time Magazine Archive

Suddenly there sounded the sharp click of the tapper as it struck the coherer.

From The Story of Great Inventions by Burns, Elmer Ellsworth

In this case the length of the receiving aerial above the point of junction with the coherer circuit is one quarter the length of the wave.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by Fleming, John Ambrose

The current through this ball coherer is, therefore, a logarithmic function of the potential difference between its ends, of the form and exhibits no discontinuity.

From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by Fleming, John Ambrose