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PHY651 Lecture 04: Discuss the scattering by a square well potential of the
form: V(r) = −Vo ; r < |a|.

Presentation · December 2023

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31311.87200

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 Particle Physics (PHY651)
M.Sc. (Fourth Semester)
Chapters 1 and 2

Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.)

(Prithvinarayan Campus)
Tribhuvan University, Nepal

(Lecture 4th )

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 1

Nature of the Course: Theory ⇒ 3CH (45L+15T)
Syllabus (Chapters 1-2):
1. Scattering: Method of Partial Waves [10 hours]
1.1 Scattering of wave packet
1.2 Elastic Scattering of Plane Waves: Cross-Section
1.3 Method of Partial Waves
1.4 Scattering by a Finite Range Central Potential, Optical Theorem, Phase
Shift
1.5 General Finite Potential
1.6 Square Well Potential
1.7 Scattering by Complex Potential: Breit-Wigner formula
1.8 Coulomb Scattering
2. Scattering: Method of Perturbation [10 hours]
2.1 Perturbation Approximation
2.2 Green Function
2.3 Born Approximation: Born formula
2.4 Validity of Born Approximation
2.5 Applications: Screening Coulomb Potential, Square Well Potential,
Gaussian Potential

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 2

Scattering by finite well potential

Figure: Square well potential of depth V0

When low energy particle (|V0 | > E) incidents on the potential well then it experiences
attraction within the range (r0 = a) of the potential. That means, only for l ≤ ka it sees
the potential, l being the orbital quantum number such that the particle has angular
momentum = ℏkr = lℏ, a being the boundary point of potential).
Let us define the potential as below:
{ {
−V0 , if r < a −V0 , if r < |a|
V(r) = OR V(r) = (1)
0, if r > a 0, Otherwise
PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 3
For l = 0, the radial part of the Schrodinger equation is,

d2 u0
+ K 2 u0 (r) = 0 for r < |a| (2)
dr2
d2 u0
+ k2 u0 (r) = 0 for r > |a| (3)
dr2
Here, u0 (r) = rR0 (r), k2 = 2𝜇
ℏ2
E and K 2 = 2𝜇ℏ2
(E + V0 ).
For r < |a|, i.e., inside the region of potential we can assume the general solution as
u0 (r) = AsinKr. For r > |a|, i.e., outside the potential there should be some phase
shift of the wave. So, let us write the solution in the form u0 (r) = Bsin(kr + 𝛿0 ).
Using boundary conditions ar r = a, we get,

AsinKa = Bsin(ka + 𝛿0 ) with uI = uII |r=a (4)

AKcosKa = Bkcos(ka + 𝛿0 ) with u′I = u′II |r=a (5)

Dividing equation 4 by equation 5, we get,
k
tanKa = tan(ka + 𝛿0 )
K (6)
k
Or, 𝛿0 ≈ tan−1 ( tanKa − ka)
K

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 4

 4𝜋
Thus, from 𝜎l = k2
(2l + 1)sin2 𝛿l , the total scattering cross-section (corresponding to
s-wave) is:
( )2
4𝜋 2 4𝜋 2 2 tanKa
𝜎= sin 𝛿 0 ≈ tan 𝛿0 = 4𝜋a − 1 (7)
k2 k2 Ka
It gives scattering cross-section in terms of energy (E) of incident particle and
potential of the target such that k2 = 2𝜇
ℏ2
E and K 2 = 2𝜇
ℏ2
(E + V0 ).

For small k or low energy of

incidence, the external (outgoing)
wave function becomes linear in
r and can be written as u0 (r) = 1 − ar
0
where a0 is called scattering length
such that u0 (r) vanishes at r = a0 . Figure: Outgoing wave function
We have, outside the potential the (outgoing) wave function is u0 (r) = Bsin(kr+𝛿0 ) (see
sin(kr+𝛿 )
discussion before equation 4 and 5). With normalization it becomes: u0 (r) = sin𝛿 0 .
0
Hence, outside the potential, we cankrwrite: 1
⏞⏞⏞ ⏞⏞⏞
r sin(kr + 𝛿0 ) sinkr cos𝛿0 + coskr sind𝛿0
1− = = ≈ kr cot𝛿0 + 1 (8)
a0 sin𝛿0 sin𝛿0
tan𝛿0 𝛿0
Therefore, for the low energy incidence, the scattering length is: a0 = − k
≈− k

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 5

Thus, in terms of scattering length, the total scattering cross-section is: 𝜎 =
4𝜋
k2
tan2 𝛿0 = 4𝜋a20 , equal to the surface area of sphere of radius a0 . So, a0 charac-
terizes the effective range of the target potential.
tan𝛿0
From equation 6 and a0 = − k
(Bethe effective range formula), we get,

tanKa
a0 = −a( − 1) (9)
Ka
When tanKa = Ka or 𝛿0 = 0 or n𝜋 to result a0 = 0 then scattering cross section
vanishes identically and the target becomes invisible. In such case, we can not distin-
guish between the incident wave and scattered wave. This effect is called Ramsauer-
Townscend effect.
If Ka = (n + 𝜋2 ) ;n = 0,1,2,... ; both scattering length a0 and cross section 𝜎 = 4𝜋a20
diverge. This situation is called resonance scattering at which scattering cross-section
is maximum due to virtual binding of the states by the attractive potential. For low
2 2
energy particles K 2 ≈ 2𝜇 V . So, V0 = 𝜋8𝜇aℏ2 for n = 0, corresponding to resonance.
ℏ2 0
This is the minimum potential required to cause the resonant scattering of s-wave (first
bound state).
Discuss the scattering by a square well potential of the form: V(r) = −V0 ; r < |a|.
Show the importance of Bethe effective range formula.

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 6

Scattering by Hard Sphere (Spherical Potential Barrier)
Let us consider the potential barrier problem for which V(r) is given by:
{ {
V0 , if r < a V0 , if r < |a|
V(r) = OR V(r) = (10)
0, if r > a 0, Otherwise

which is just the case of changing −V0 of potential well by V0 .

Figure: Potential barrier of height V0

When low energy particle (V0 > E) incidents on the potential barrier then it experi-
ences repulsion within the range (r0 = a) of the potential.
PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 7
For l = 0, the radial part of the Schrodinger equation is,

d2 u0
− K 2 u0 (r) = 0 for r < |a| (11)
dr2
d2 u0
+ k2 u0 (r) = 0 for r > |a| (12)
dr2
Here, u0 (r) = rR0 (r), k2 = 2𝜇
ℏ2
E and K 2 = 2𝜇ℏ2
(V0 − E).
For r < |a|, i.e., inside the region of potential we can assume the general solution as
u0 (r) = AsinhKr. For r > |a|, i.e., outside the potential there should be some phase
shift of the wave. So, let us write the solution in the form u0 (r) = Bsin(kr + 𝛿0 ).
Using boundary conditions at r = a, we get,

AsinhKa = Bsin(ka + 𝛿0 ) with uI = uII |r=a (13)

AKcoshKa = Bkcos(ka + 𝛿0 ) with u′I = u′II |r=a (14)

Dividing equation 13 by equation 14, we get,
k
tanhKa = tan(ka + 𝛿0 )
K (15)
k
Or, 𝛿0 ≈ tan−1 ( tanhKa − ka)
K

PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 8

Thus, the total scattering cross-section is:
( )2
4𝜋 2 4𝜋 tanhKa
𝜎= 2
sin 𝛿0 ≈ 2 tan2 𝛿0 = 4𝜋a2 −1 (16)
k k Ka
For small k or low energy of incidence and stronger potential barrier (hard sphere),
tanhKa
Ka
is negligibly small. So, 𝜎 = 4𝜋a2 . It gives the total scattering cross-section
corresponding to the low energy particle scattering from hard sphere potential.

For V0 → ∞ (hard sphere), the outgoing wave function is u0 (r) = Bsin(kr + 𝛿0 ) should
vanish at r = a. So, we can take the solution in the form u0 (r) = Bsin(kr − ka) with
4𝜋
𝛿0 = −ka. This straight forward solution also results 𝜎 = 2 sin2 𝛿0 ≈ 4𝜋 𝛿 2 = 4𝜋a2 .
k2 0
k
2
This result is four times the classical result (𝜎 = 𝜋a ).

Obtain the scattering cross-section for the case of spherical potential barrier (hard
sphere). Hence, compare your result with classical result. ⇑

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PNC(TU),Nepal Khadka B. Chhetri, Ph.D (Assist. Prof.) 9