Collision between identical particles

Collisions between identical particles are particularly interesting as a direct illustration of the
fundamental differences between classical and quantum mechanics. We shall examine first the
elastic scattering of two identical spinless bosons and then analyze elastic collision between two
identical spin-
2
1
fermions.
Scattering of two identical spinless bosons
Let us consider the elastic scattering of two identical bosons of mass m. n the centre of mass
frame! the time-independent "chrodinger equation is

( ) ( ) ( ) r E r r V

1
]
1

+
2
2
2
###############
#$1%
where
2
m

is the reduced mass and
2 1
r r r

is the relati&e position &ector of the two
colliding particles. 'he situation in the centre-of-mass system is illustrated in (ig. 1. 'wo
identical particles 1 and 2 approach one another! mo&ing parallel to the z-axis in opposite
directions. )fter an elastic collision the &elocity of each particle is changed in direction but
remains unchanged in magnitude. ) detector counts the particles scattered into the direction
characterized by the polar angles
( ) !
. "ince the particles 1 and 2 are identical! there is no way
of deciding whether a particle recorded by the detector results from a collision e&ent in which the
particle 1 is scattered in the direction
( ) !
$see (ig. 1$a%%! or from a collision process in which
the particle 2 is scattered in that direction! so that particle 1 is scattered in the opposite direction
( ) + !
$see (ig. 1$b%%.
n classical mechanics the differential cross-section for scattering in the direction
( ) !
would
simply be the sum of the differential cross-sections for obser&ation of particle 1 and particle 2 in
that direction. f the same were to be true in quantum mechanics! we would obtain the
differential cross-section the *classical+ result
( ) ( )
2 2
! !

+ +

f f
d
d
classical
###########
#$2%
where
( ) ! f
! the center of mass amplitude for scattering in the direction
( ) !
! is related to
the asymptotic beha&ior of the solution
( ) r

satisfying the usual boundary condition

( ) ( ) ( )
( )
r
ikr
f r k i r
r
exp
! . exp +

###########
##..$,%
-owe&er! we shall now show that the expression $2% for the differential cross-section is incorrect.
ndeed! we .now that wa&e functions describing systems of identical particles must be properly
symmetrised with respect to permutations of identical particles. n particular! a wa&e function
describing a system of identical bosons must be completely symmetric. 'hus! in the case of two
identical spinless particles! the wa&e function must be symmetric under the interchange of the
spatial coordinates of the two particles. /ow the interchange
2 1
r r

corresponds to replacing
the relati&e position &ector r

by r

! which in polar coordinates corresponds to

( ) ! ! r
being
replaced by
( ) + ! ! r
. 'he wa&e function
( ) r

satisfying the boundary condition $,% does

not ha&e the required symmetry! but the symmetric combination
( ) ( ) ( ) r r r

+
+
################
#..$0%
is also a solution of the "chrodinger equation $1% and does ha&e the required symmetry1
( ) ( ) r r

+ +

2sing $,%! the asymptotic form of ( ) r

+
is seen to be
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) [ ]
( )
r
ikr
f f r k i r k i r
r
exp
! ! . exp . exp + + + +

#######
#$3%
'he amplitude of the spherically outgoing wa&e is the symmetric amplitude
( ) ( ) ( ) + +
+
! ! ! f f f #############.
.$4%
so that the differential cross-section is

( ) ( )
2
! !

+ +

f f
d
d
#############
#.$5%
a result which we can write in the form

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]

+ + + +

! ! 6e 2 ! !
2 2
f f f f
d
d
########.
$7%
t is important to note that this formula differs from the *classical+ result $2% by the presence of
the third term on the right! which arises from the interference between the amplitudes
( ) ! f
and
( ) + ! f
. We also remar. that the total cross-section is

( ) ( )

+ + d f f
tot
2
! !
############
$8%
is equal to twice the number of particles remo&ed from the incident beam per unit time and unit
incident flux.
n the simple case for which the interaction potential is central! the scattering amplitude is
independent of the azimuthal angle

. 'he differential cross-section then reduces to

( ) ( )
2

f f
d
d
################
$19%
or

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]

+ +

f f f f
d
d
6e 2
2 2
########..
$11%
so that the scattering is symmetric about the angle
2

in the centre-of-mass system. "ince
( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) cos 1 cos
l
l
l
P P #############
$12%
it is clear that the partial wa&e expansion of the symmetrised scattering amplitude
( ) ( ) ( ) +
+
f f f contains only e&en &alues of l . :oreo&er! at
2

we note that the
quantum mechanical differential cross-section is equal to

2
2
0
2

,
_

,
_

f
d
d
#############.
$1,%
and hence is four times as big as if the two colliding particles are distinguishable! and twice as
big as the *classical+ result

2
2
2
2

,
_

,
_

f
d
d
classica
#############..
$10%
(urthermore! if there is only s-wa&e $ 9 l % scattering! so that the scattering amplitude
f
is
isotropic! we see from $19% that two colliding spinless bosons ha&e differential cross-section four
times as big as if they were distinguishable particles! and twice as big as the classical result.
Coulomb scattering off two identical spinless bosons
Let us consider two identical spinless bosons of charge Ze interacting only through Coulomb
forces. 'his is the case for example in the scattering of two identical spinless nuclei $e.g. the
scattering of two alpha particles or two
12
C nuclei% at colliding energies which are low enough so
that the nuclear forces between the two colliding particles can be neglected due to the presence
of the coulomb barrier. 'herefore! the differential cross-section

( ) ( )
2

c c
f f
d
d
##############
$1%
where
( )
c
f
is the Coulomb scattering amplitude!

( )
( )
( )

;

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

2
sin log exp
1
1
2
sin 2
2
2

i
i
i
k
f
c
#######..
$2%
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
% , ....$ .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
2
cos log exp
1
1
2
cos 2
2
sin log exp
1
1
2
sin 2
2
2
2
2

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

i
i
i
k
i
i
i
k
f
c
'herefore! we ha&e
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

+
,
_

+
,
_

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

2
tan log 2 cos
2
sec
2
cos 2
2
sec
2
cos
2
2
cos
2
cos log 2 exp
2
sin
2
sin log 2 exp
2
2
cos log exp
1
1
2
cos
1
2
sin log exp
1
1
2
sin
1
2
2
cos log exp
1
1
2
cos 2
2
sin log exp
1
1
2
sin 2
2 2 0 0
2
2
2 2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

ec ec
k
i i
k
i
i
i
i
i
i
k
i
i
i
k
i
i
i
k
d
d
where
( )
( ) v
Ze

9
2
0
.
'his is called the :ott formula for the Coulomb scattering of two identical spinless bosons.
Problem:
;roton-proton scattering at sufficiently large energies or scattering angles can get contributions
not only from the electrostatic potential but also from the strong nuclear force. (or moderate
energies! we need only consider the 9 l partial wa&e in a phase shift analysis so that the
scattering amplitude is gi&en by

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
9 9
sin exp
1
i
k
f f
C
+
where
( )

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
2
2

i
k
f
C
and
( )
( ) v
Ze

9
2
0

$a% "how that the cross-section in this approximation is gi&en by
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
9 9
2
2 2
! !
0

S INT C
CM
F F F
E
Ke Z
d
d
+ +

,
_

Where
( )
( ) ( ) ( )

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

2
cos
2
sin
2 tan ln cos
2
cos
1
2
sin
1
2 2
2
0 0

C
F

( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
1
1
1
1
]
1

,
_

+
+

,
_

+

2
cos
2 cos log cos
2
sin
2 sin log cos
sin
2
!
2
2
9
2
2
9
9 9

INT
F
and

( ) ( )
9
2
2
9
sin
0
!

S
F
where
( )
9
!
INT
F
gi&es the interference between the Coulomb and nuclear amplitudes.
"olution1
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]

+ + + +
+ +

f f f f f f f f
f f f f
d
d
6e 2
0
,
6e 2
0
1
0
,
0
1
2 2 2 2
2 2

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

+

,
_

+
,
_

+
,
_

,
_

+
,
_

+ +
,
_

+
+ +
+ +

f f f f
f f f f
f f f f
f f f f
f f f f
d
d
6e
6e
2
2
0
0
0
0
6e
2
,
2
1
0
,
0
1
0
,
0
1
6e 2
0
,
6e 2
0
1
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2

( )

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
2
2

i
k
f
C

( )

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
2
2

i
k
f
C
/ow
( ) ( ) ( )
9 9
2
2
sin exp
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2

i
k
i
k
f +

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

( ) ( ) ( )
9 9
2
2
sin exp
1
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2

i
k
i
k
f +

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9 2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9 9
2
2
9 9
2
2
2
sin
1
2
sin log cos
2
sin
sin
2
sin 0
sin
1
2
2
sin log exp
2
sin log exp
2
sin
sin
2
sin 0
sin
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
sin
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
sin
2
sin 0
sin exp
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
sin exp
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2

k
k k
k
i i
k k
k
i
k
i
k k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
f f f
+

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

+
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

+ +

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9 2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9 9
2
2
9 9
2
2
2
sin
1
2
cos log cos
2
cos
sin
2
cos 0
sin
1
2
2
cos log exp
2
cos log exp
2
cos
sin
2
cos 0
sin
1
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin
2
cos 0
sin exp
1
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin exp
1
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2

k
k k
k
i i
k k
k
i
k
i
k k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
f f f
+

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

+
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

+ +

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
2
9
2 2
9 2
2 2
2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9 2
9
2 2
9
2
2 2
2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9 2
9
2 2
9
2 2
2 2
2
2
9 9
2
2
9 9
2
2
sin
1
2
sin log cos
2
sin 2
sin
2
cos log cos
2
cos 2
sin
2
tan log cos
2
cos
2
sin
1
0
sin
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
sin
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin
2
tan log exp
2
cos
2
sin
1
0
6e
sin
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
sin
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin
2
cos log
2
sin log exp
2
cos
2
sin
1
0
6e
sin exp
1
2
cos log exp
2
cos 2
sin exp
1
2
sin log exp
2
sin 2
6e 6e

k
k
k
k
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
i
k
f f
+

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
]
1

'

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

'hus
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
9 9
2
2
9
2
2
2
2
9
2
2
9
2 2
2
0 0
2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
2
9
2 2
9
2 2
2
2
2
0
2
2
0
2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
2
9
2 2
9 2
2 2
2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
9
2
2
2
9
2 2
9
0 2
2
2 2
! !
0
sin
0
2
cos
2
cos log cos
2
2
sin
2
sin log cos
2
2
cos
2
sin
2
tan log cos
2
cos
1
2
sin
1
0
sin
1
2
cos log cos
2
cos 2
sin
2
sin log cos
2
sin 2
sin
2
cos
2
sin
2
tan log cos
0
2
cos
1
0
2
sin
1
0
sin
1
2
sin log cos
2
sin 2
sin
2
cos log cos
2
cos 2
sin
2
tan log cos
2
cos
2
sin
1
0
sin
1
2
cos log cos
2
cos
sin
2
cos 0
sin
1
2
sin log cos
2
sin
sin
2
sin 0
6e 2

S INT C
F F F
k
k
k
k
k
k k k
k
k
k
k
k
k k
k
k k
f f f f
d
d
+ +
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

+
+

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

+
+

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

+
+

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

where ( )

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

2
cos
2
sin
2
tan log cos
2
cos
1
2
sin
1
2 2
2
0 0

C
F
( )
1
1
1
1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

+
+

,
_

,
_

1
]
1

,
_

2
cos
2
cos log cos
2
2
sin
2
sin log cos
2
!
2
2
9
2
2
9
9

INT
F
and
( ) ( )
9
2
2
9
sin
0
!

S
F
where
( )
9
!
INT
F
gi&es the interference between the Coulomb and nuclear amplitudes.
Scattering of two identical spin-
2
1
fermions
'he scattering of identical fermions is more difficult to analyze than that of spinless bosons
because of complications due to the spin. (or simplicity! we shall only consider the case of two
identical spin-
2
1
fermions interacting through central forces. "ince the interaction is in general
different in the singlet $ 9 S % and triplet $ 1 S % spin states of the two fermions! we shall start
from two $unsymmetrised% scattering amplitudes
( )
S
f
and
( )
t
f
corresponding respecti&ely to
the singlet and triplet cases.
'he full wa&e function describing a system of two identical spin-
2
1
fermions must be
antisymmetric in the interchange of the two particles! i.e. when all their coordinates $spatial and
spin% are interchanged. /ow! if the system is in a singlet spin state $ 9 S %! the spin part of the
wa&e function is gi&en by

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] 2 1 2 1
2
1
9 ! 9

##########..
$1%
-ence the corresponding spatial part of the wa&e function must be symmetric in the interchange
of the position &ectors
1
r

and
2
r

of the two particles.

)s a result! the symmetrised singlet scattering amplitude

( ) ( ) +
+ S S S
f f f
############.$2%
and the differential cross-section in the singlet spin state is

( ) ( )
2

S S
f f
d
d
#############
$,%
f! on the other hand! the two spin-
2
1
fermions are in a triplet spin state $ 1 S % the
corresponding three spin functions are symmetric in the interchange of the spin coordinates of
the two particles

( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) 2 1
2 1 2 1
2
1
2 1
1 ! 1
9 ! 1
1 ! 1

#############
#.$0%

'he spatial part of the wa&e function must therefore be antisymmetric in the interchange of the
position &ectors
1
r

and
2
r

! so that the symmetrised triplet scattering amplitude is gi&en by

( ) ( )
2

t t
t
f f
d
d
#############
#..$3%
f the *incident+ and *target+ particles are unpolarized $i.e. their spins are randomly orientated%!
the probability of obtaining triplet states is three times that of singlet states! so that the
differential cross-section is gi&en by!
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
2 2
0
,
0
1
0
,
0
1


+ +

t t S S
t s
f f f f
d
d
d
d
d
d
#########$4%
(or the particular case of spin-independent central interactions! where

( ) ( ) ( ) f f f
t s

################
$5%
We find from! $4% that!

( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]

+ + + +
+ +

f f f f f f f f
f f f f
d
d
6e 2
0
,
6e 2
0
1
0
,
0
1
2 2 2 2
2 2
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) % 7 .....$ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... 6e
6e
2
2
0
0
0
0
6e
2
,
2
1
0
,
0
1
0
,
0
1
6e 2
0
,
6e 2
0
1
2 2
2 2
2 2
2 2 2 2

+

,
_

+
,
_

+
,
_

,
_

+
,
_

+ +
,
_

+
+ + + +

f f f f
f f f f
f f f f
f f f f f f f f
d
d
We note that this formula differs from the *classical+ result by the presence of the third term on
the right! which again is an interference term. We also remar. that at
2

the quantum
mechanical differential cross-section $7% is gi&en by!


2
2
2

,
_

,
_

f
d
d
##############$8%
and hence is equal to one-half of the classical result
2
2
2
2

,
_

,
_

f
d
d
classical
.
(urthermore! if there is only s-wa&e
( ) 9 l
scattering! the differential cross-section $7% is four
times smaller than the corresponding one for the scattering of two identical spinless bosons.