B.Sc. Sem.

– V Paper- Quantum Mechanics, Atomic & Molecular

(Physics) II Spectroscopy and Nuclear Physics

Institute for Excellence in Higher

Education (IEHE), Bhopal

Compton Effect
Dr. Amit Jain,
Associate Professor of Physics
IEHE, Bhopal, (M.P.), INDIA
jainamit38@gmail.com
+91-9407255901
 Learning Objectives

Scattering of radiation with matter

Compton Effect

Explanation by Quantum Theory

 Scattering
(Radiation and Matter)

No change in WL Change in WL
𝝀 𝒔 = 𝝀 𝒊 𝝀 𝒔 ≠ 𝝀 𝒊

Compton Inverse Compton

Thomson Raman 𝝀 < 𝝀
𝝀 𝒔> 𝝀 𝒊 𝒔 𝒊

Stokes
Rayleigh 𝝀 𝒔> 𝝀 𝒊

Anti-Stokes
𝝀 𝒔 < 𝝀 𝒊
 Raman Scattering

Change in direction as well as in wavelength

(WL) of the incident radiation.

Laying under IR and far IR region of EM

spectrum.

This change in WL does not depend on the

angle of scattering, but depend on the nature
of the scatterer.
 Compton Scattering

Incident radiation are in

the X-ray part of the EM
spectrum.

The change in WL of the

scattered radiation in
different directions
depend only on the angel
of scattering and

does not depend on the

scatterer and on the
wavelength of the
incident radiation. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
 Compton Effect or Scattering
When a beam of monochromatic X rays is made incident on a
substance (such as carbon), there are two components to the
wavelength of scattered radiations
(i)Unmodified radiations 𝝀𝒔 = 𝝀𝒊
(ii)Modified radiations 𝝀𝒔 > 𝝀𝒊
This increase in the wavelength Δ𝝀 = 𝝀𝒔 −𝝀𝒊 , depends on angle of
scattering and does not depend on the wavelength of incident
radiation or the nature of the scatterer.

The intensity of the modified radiation increases as the angle of

scattering increases.

This phenomenon is called the Compton Effect. The increase in the

wavelength is called the Compton Shift.
 Compton Effect or Scattering

In 1923, Compton explained this phenomenon on the basis of

quantum theory.
According to it, light (or radiation) travels in the form of packets of
energy and definite momenta, called photons having energy (=ℎ𝜐),
where 𝜐 is the frequency of the radiation and h is the plank’s
constant (=6.6 × 10−34 𝐽𝑠).
In the process of scattering, there is an elastic collision between the
incident photon and the free electron for the scatterer, in which
both the energy and momenta are conserved.
As a result, the energy and momenta of photon decreases, i.e., the
wavelength of photon increases. The electron thus emitted is called
the recoiled electron.
 Compton Effect or Scattering
ℎ𝑐
When a photon of energy ℎ𝜐 or strikes the free
𝜆
electron, it imparts some of its energy and momentum
to the electron.

As a consequence, the electron is recoiled with some

kinetic energy at a relativistic speed 𝑣 at an angle 𝜙 and
the photon is scattered at an angle 𝜃.

If the frequency and wavelength of the scattered photon

are 𝑣 ′ and 𝜆′ respectively, then the energy of scattered
photon is less then the incident photon radiation.
 Compton Effect or Scattering
ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐
< or 𝜆′ > 𝜆
𝜆′ 𝜆
Or, ℎ𝜐 > ℎ𝜐 ′ or 𝜐 > 𝜐 ′
The K.E. of the recoiled electron is:
𝐸𝑘 = (𝑚 − 𝑚0 )𝑐 2
Where 𝑚 is the mass of moving electron and 𝑚0 is the rest
mass of the electron.

The momenta of the recoiled electron is = 𝑚𝑣

By the conservation of energy,
ℎ𝜐 − ℎ𝜐 ′ = (𝑚 − 𝑚0 )𝑐 2 (1)
 Compton Effect or Scattering

By the conservation of momenta in the direction of

incident radiation

ℎ𝜈 ℎ𝜈 ′
= 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 𝑚𝑣 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜙 (2)
𝑐 𝑐

And the conservation of momenta in the direction

perpendicular to the incident radiation

ℎ𝜈 ′
0= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 − 𝑚𝑣 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙 (3)
𝑐
 Compton Effect or Scattering

Eliminating 𝜙 from the equations (2) and (3)

′ 2 2
ℎ𝜈 ℎ𝜈 ℎ𝜈 ′
𝑚2 𝑣 2 = − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
𝑐 𝑐 𝑐
Or, 𝑚2 𝑣 2 𝑐 2 = ℎ2 (𝜈 2 + 𝜈 ′2 − 2𝜈𝜈 ′ 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃) (4)
From equation (1),
𝑚𝑐 2 = ℎ𝜈 − ℎ𝜈 ′ + 𝑚0 𝑐 2
Or, 𝑚2 𝑐 4 = ℎ𝜈 − ℎ𝜈 ′ + 𝑚0 𝑐 2 2 𝑚2 𝑐 4 =
ℎ2 𝜈 2 + 𝜈 ′2 − 2𝜈𝜈 ′ + 2𝑚0 𝑐 2 ℎ 𝜈 − 𝜈 ′ + 𝑚02 𝑐 4 (5)
 Compton Effect or Scattering
Subtracting equation (5) from equation (4), we ge
𝑚2 𝑣 2 𝑐 2 − 𝑚2 𝑐 4 = 2ℎ2 𝜈𝜈 ′ 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 2ℎ2 𝜈𝜈 ′ −
2𝑚0 𝑐 2 ℎ 𝜈 − 𝜈 ′ − 𝑚02 𝑐 4
2ℎ2 𝜈𝜈 ′ 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 − 2𝑚0 𝑐 2 ℎ 𝜈 − 𝜈 ′
𝑣 2
= 𝑚02 𝑐 4 − 𝑚2 𝑐 4 1 − 2
𝑐
𝑚0
But 𝑚 =
1−𝑣 2 Τ𝑐 2

∴ 2ℎ2 𝜈𝜈 ′ 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 − 2𝑚0 𝑐 2 ℎ 𝜈 − 𝜈 ′ = 0

𝜈−𝜈′ ℎ
= 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
𝜈𝜈′ 𝑚0 𝑐 2
 Compton Effect or Scattering
1 1 𝜆′ − 𝜆 ℎ
′ − = = 2 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
𝜈 𝜈 𝑐 𝑚0 𝑐
ℎ
i.e. Compton Shift Δ𝜆 = 𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 ….(6)
𝑚0 𝑐

The above equation shows that the increase in wavelength of

the scattered photon at an angle 𝜃. It is clear that:
(i) Since the maximum value of 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 = ±1, therefore, Δ𝜆 is
always positive, i.e. the wavelength of the scattered photon is
always grater than the wavelength of the incident photon
(𝜆′ > 𝜆).
(ii) The angle in wavelength Δ𝜆 does not depend on the
wavelength of incident radiation.
 Compton Effect or Scattering
1 1 𝜆′ − 𝜆 ℎ
′ − = = 2 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃
𝜈 𝜈 𝑐 𝑚0 𝑐
ℎ
i.e. Compton Shift Δ𝜆 = 𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 ….(6)
𝑚0 𝑐

(i) The change in wavelength Δ𝜆 does not depend on the

nature of the scatterer.
(ii) The change in wavelength Δ𝜆 only depends on the angle
of scattering 𝜃. The increase in wavelength (i.e.,
Compton shift) increases with the increase in the angle
of scattering. Compton shift is maximum at 𝜃 = 180° .
 Compton Effect or Scattering
(i) The change in wavelength Δ𝜆 does not depend on the nature
of the scatterer.
(i) The change in wavelength Δ𝜆 only depends on the angle of
scattering 𝜃. The increase in wavelength (i.e., Compton shift)
increases with the increase in the angle of scattering.
Compton shift is maximum at 𝜃 = 180° .
At 𝜃 = 180° , maximum Compton sift
ℎ 2ℎ
Δ𝜆 𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 1 − −1 =
𝑚0 𝑐 𝑚0 𝑐
 Compton Effect or Scattering

2×6.6×10−34
Δ𝜆 𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = 0.0484 × 10−10 𝑚 = 0.0484Å
9.1×10−31 × 3×108
ℎ
For normal scattering 𝜃 = 90° , Δ𝜆 = =
𝑚0 𝑐

6.6 × 10−34
−31 8
= 0.0242Å
9.1 × 10 × 3 × 10

The Compton’s shift at normal scattering Δ𝜆 = 0.0242Å is also

called the Compton wavelength 𝜆𝑐 .
 Recap

Scattering of radiation with matter

Compton Effect and Compton wave length

Explanation by Quantum Theory

Mathematical derivation of change in

wavelength
 Extended Learning
• https://phys.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/University_Physics

• https://sites.google.com/site/puenggphysics/home/unit-
iv/compton-effect

• http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/quantum/comptint.html

• http://www.phys.utk.edu/labs/modphys/Compton%20Scattering
%20Experiment.pdf
 Assignment

On which factor the change in wavelength depends in

Compton Scattering?

Does the Compton Shift Δ𝜆 depends on the nature of

the scatterer?
If the angle of scattering increased what will be is the
effect on the intensity of modified radiation?

What is Compton wavelength 𝜆𝑐 ?