B2.23

Applications of Quantum Mechanics | Part II, 2004

The wave function for a single particle with a potential V(r)V(r) has the asymptotic form for large rr

ψ(r,θ)∼eikrcos⁡θ+f(θ)eikrr.\psi(r, \theta) \sim e^{i k r \cos \theta}+f(\theta) \frac{e^{i k r}}{r} .

How is f(θ)f(\theta) related to observable quantities? Show how f(θ)f(\theta) can be expressed in terms of phase shifts δℓ(k)\delta_{\ell}(k) for ℓ=0,1,2,…\ell=0,1,2, \ldots..

Assume that V(r)=0V(r)=0 for r≥ar \geq a, and let Rℓ(r)R_{\ell}(r) denote the solution of the radial Schrödinger equation, regular at r=0r=0, with energy ℏ2k2/2m\hbar^{2} k^{2} / 2 m and angular momentum ℓ\ell. Let Nℓ(k)=aRℓ′(a)/Rℓ(a)N_{\ell}(k)=a R_{\ell}^{\prime}(a) / R_{\ell}(a). Show that

tan⁡δℓ(k)=Nℓ(k)jℓ(ka)−kajℓ′(ka)Nℓ(k)nℓ(ka)−kanℓ′(ka).\tan \delta_{\ell}(k)=\frac{N_{\ell}(k) j_{\ell}(k a)-k a j_{\ell}^{\prime}(k a)}{N_{\ell}(k) n_{\ell}(k a)-k a n_{\ell}^{\prime}(k a)} .

Assuming that Nℓ(k)N_{\ell}(k) is a smooth function for k≈0k \approx 0, determine the expected behaviour of δℓ(k)\delta_{\ell}(k) as k→0k \rightarrow 0. Show that for k→0k \rightarrow 0 then f(θ)→cf(\theta) \rightarrow c, with cc a constant, and determine cc in terms of N0(0)N_{0}(0).

[For V=0V=0 the two independent solutions of the radial Schrödinger equation are jℓ(kr)j_{\ell}(k r) and nℓ(kr)n_{\ell}(k r) with

jℓ(ρ)∼1ρsin⁡(ρ−12ℓπ),nℓ(ρ)∼−1ρcos⁡(ρ−12ℓπ) as ρ→jℓ(ρ)∝ρℓ,nℓ(ρ)∝ρ−ℓ−1 as ρ→0eiρcos⁡θ=∑ℓ=0∞(2ℓ+1)iℓjℓ(ρ)Pℓ(cos⁡θ),j0(ρ)=sin⁡ρρ,n0(ρ)=−cos⁡ρρ\begin{aligned} j_{\ell}(\rho) & \sim \frac{1}{\rho} \sin \left(\rho-\frac{1}{2} \ell \pi\right), n_{\ell}(\rho) \sim-\frac{1}{\rho} \cos \left(\rho-\frac{1}{2} \ell \pi\right) \text { as } \rho \rightarrow \\ j_{\ell}(\rho) & \propto \rho^{\ell}, n_{\ell}(\rho) \propto \rho^{-\ell-1} \text { as } \rho \rightarrow 0 \\ e^{i \rho \cos \theta} &=\sum_{\ell=0}^{\infty}(2 \ell+1) i^{\ell} j_{\ell}(\rho) P_{\ell}(\cos \theta), \\ j_{0}(\rho) &=\frac{\sin \rho}{\rho}, \quad n_{0}(\rho)=-\frac{\cos \rho}{\rho} \end{aligned}

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