PH 504: Assignment 3

March 25, 2016

Due April 1, 2016

Note

The questions are all on the subject of Scattering theory.

Problem 1.1. Find the differential and total cross-sections in the first Born approximation
for the elastic scattering of a particle of mass which is initially traveling along the zaxis
from a non-spherically symmetric, double-delta potential V ( #
r ) = V0 [( #
r a
z ) + ( #
r + a
z )].
(10 points)
Problem 1.2. In class, we discussed the partial wave analysis for elastic scattering. Here,
let us understand the case where there can be absorption of particles by the potential. The
expression for the scattering amplitude:
f () =

(2l + 1)fl (k)Pl (cos ),

l=0
1
(Sl (k) 1) with Sl (k) = e2il applies to the elastic scattering case. In case
where fl (k) = 2ik
of flux loss, Sl (k) is redefined to be:

Sl (k) = l (k)e2il .
Using this definition, calculate the differential and total cross-sections (Note that total =
elastic + inelastic ). Demonstrate that the optical theorem still holds. (10 points)
Problem 1.3. A particle of mass is scattered from a spherical repelling potential of radius
R:
(
V0 if r R
V (r) =
0 if r > R
a) Using the first Born approximation, calculate the total cross-section in the limit of low
energies.
b) Repeat the calculation of this time using the partial wave analysis. Demonstrate that
the result is identical with the one in (a) above in the limit of a short range potential
(kR  1). (15 points)
Problem 1.4. Calculate the differential cross-section in the first Born approximation for
the scattering between two identical particles having spin 1, mass , and interacting via a
potential V (r) = V0 ear . (10 points) Hint: What are the possible total-spin states? How
1

many are symmetric under the exchange of particles and how many are antisymmetric?
Assume that the incident beam is unpolarized - the differential cross-section would be a sum
of the contributions from the symmetric and antisymmetric states, each weighted by the
d
S
A
= nNS d
+ nNA d
.
(fraction of ) number of states, i.e., d
d
d
Problem 1.5. Consider the elastic scattering of 50 MeV neutrons from a nucleus. The phase
shifts measured in this experiment are 0 = 95 , 1 = 72 , 2 = 60 , 3 = 35 , 4 = 18 ,
5 = 5 ; all other phase shifts are negligible, i.e., l 0 for l 6. Find the total cross-section,
and estimate the radius of the nucleus. Note that you need to put in the correct factors of
~s and cs to get these numerical estimates! (5 points)