Advanced Quantum Mechanics

Scattering Theory and Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

Problem Set 1: Scattering Theory
1 Find the Born approximation to the dierential cross section as a function of the angle of
scattering for a central potential \ (r) = \
0
for r _ r
0
, \ (r) = 0 for r r
0
.
2 The potential for `hard sphere' scattering is \ (r) = for r < r
0
and \ (r) = 0 for r r
0
.
(i) Show that the s-wave phase shift c
0
(/) is given by c
0
(/) = /r
0
, and calculate the total
/ = 0 cross section.
(ii) The `reduced' radial wave function n
`
(r) is dened via c(r, 0, c) = 1
`
(r)1
`;m
(0, c), and
1
`
(r) = n
`
(r),r. Find the equation satised by n
`
, and show that the radial wave equation
for r r
0
and / = 1 is satised by the wave function
n
1
(r) = C

sin/r
/r
cos /r +a

cos /r
/r
+ sin/r

where C and a are constants. Show that the denition of the p-wave phase shift c
1
(/) implies
that tan c
1
(/) = a, and determine a from the condition satised by n
1
(r) at r = r
0
.
Show that, as / approaches zero, c
1
(/) behaves like (/r
0
)
3
.
3 The scattering amplitude )(0, /) has the partial wave expansion
)(0, /) =
1
/
X
`
c
i
`
sinc
`
(2/ + 1)1
`
(cos 0)
where the symbols have their usual meaning.
(i)Show
(a) o
tot
=
P
`
o
`
where o
`
=
4
k
2
sin
2
c
`
.(2/ + 1)
(b) o
tot
=
4
k
Im)(0, /).
(ii) In the `Fermi theory' of lepton-lepton scattering the s-wave amplitude a
0
= c
i
0
sinc
0
,/
for the scattering process
i

+j

i
e
+c

is given approximately by a
F
0
- G
F
/ where / is the centre of mass momentum and G
F
is
Fermi's constant, with the value (in units / = c = 1)
G
F
-
10
5
'
2
p
where '
p
is the proton mass. Assuming that / in part (i) can also be taken to be the CM
momentum (in units c = / = 1) estimate the C' energy (neglecting lepton masses) at which
unitarity is violated in the theory. What actually happens? (Note: / - 200(MeV/c)fm).
1
4 1
x
is a linear ordinary dierential operator and c(r) satises the equation 1
x
c(r) = q(r)
where q(r) is a known function. The functions c
n
(r) form a complete orthonormal set of
eigenfunctions of 1
x
, with eigenvalues `
n
:
1
x
c
n
(r) = `
n
c
n
(r).
Expanding c(r) as a linear combination of the c
n
(r) via
c(r) =
X
n
a
n
c
n
(r),
show that
a
m
=
1
`
m
Z
c

m
(j)q(j)dj.
Deduce that the Green function for the equation 1
x
c = q must be
G(r, j) =
X
n
c
n
(r)c

n
(j)
`
n
=
X
n
r[: :[j
`
n
.
Verify that this is correct by applying the operator 1
x
to G(r, j).
Use this approach to nd the coordinate space Green function for the time independant
Schrodinger equation.
5 (i) In rst order time-dependent perturbation theory, the transition probability per unit time
for a particle in the momentum eigenstate [ k
i
to scatter, via the time-independent potential
\ (r), into the momentum eigenstate [ k
f
is
Z
2 [ k
f
[ \ [ k
i
[
2
c(1
i
1
f
)
d
3
k
f
(2)
3
where units / = 1 are used (for a concise derivation see P79, Quarks and Leptons, Halzen &
Martin, Wiley 1984). Writing
d
3
k
f
=[ k
f
[
2
d [ k
f
[ d and 1
f
= k
2
f
,2:
show that d
3
k
f
= : [ k
f
[ d1
f
d, and hence show that the dierential cross section is
do
d
=
:
2
4
2
[ ) [ \ [ i [
2
.
(ii) Show that
Z
c
iqr
c
r=a
r
d
3
r =
4
q
2
+a
2
.
By considering the limit a , derive the Rutherford scattering cross section formula

do
d

R
=
/
2
c
2
c
2
161
2
sin
4
0,2
using Born Approximation for the Coulomb potential for two charges, one +c and one c;
here 1 =
1
2
:
2
where is the speed of the incoming particle and : is its mass; also, c is the
ne structure constant and 0 is the scattering angle (ie the angle between the incident wave
vector and the nal wave vector).
2