Scattering theory studies the behaviour of (quantum) systems over time and length scales which are very large, compared with the time or length that are characteristic of the interaction which affects them. The chapter begins with an outline of the basic problems of scattering theory, i.e. the existence of scattering states, their uniqueness, weak asymptotic completeness the existence of the scattering transformation, S , the reduction of S due to symmetries, the analyticity of S , asymptotic completeness and the existence of wave operators. After considering the Schrödinger equation for stationary states, the integral equation for scattering problems is derived and studied. The Born approximation and the Born series are presented, and the conditions which ensure convergence of the Born series are also discussed. Further topics are partial wave expansion, its convergence and the uniqueness of the solution satisfying the asymptotic condition, the Levinson theorem. Lastly, in the first part of the chapter, scattering theory from singular potentials is introduced, with emphasis on the polydromy of the wave function, following early work in the literature, and the general problems in the theory of resonances are studied. In the second part, we examine in detail a separable potential model, the occurrence of bound states in the completeness relationship, an excitable potential model and the unitarity of the Möller wave operator. Lastly, we study the survival amplitude associated with quantum decay transitions. Aims and problems of scattering theory Scattering theory is the branch of physics that is concerned with interacting systems on a scale of time and/or distance that is large compared with the scale of the interaction itself, and it provides the most powerful tool for studying the microscopic nature of the world.
This selective review is written as an introduction to the mathematical theory of the Schrödinger equation for N particles. Characteristic for these systems are the cluster properties of the potential in configuration space, which are expressed in a simple geometric language. The methods developed over the last 40 years to deal with this primary aspect are described by giving full proofs of a number of basic and by now classical results. The central theme is the interplay between the spectral theory of N-body Hamiltonians and the space–time and phase-space analysis of bound states and scattering states.
The purpose of these lectures is to give an accessible and self contained introduction to quantum scattering theory in one dimension. Part A defines the theoretical playground, and develops basic concepts of scattering theory in the time domain (Asymptotic Condition, in- and out- states, scattering operator
S^). The aim of Part B is then to build up, in a step-by-step fashion, the time independent scattering theory in energy domain. This amounts to introduce the Lippmann-Schwinger equation for the stationary scattering states (denoted as
∣ψE(±1)±⟩), to discuss fundamental properties of
∣ψE(±1)±⟩, and subsequently to construct
S^ and
T^ operators in terms of
∣ψE(±1)±⟩. Physical contents of the
S^ and
T^ operators is then illuminated by deriving explicit formulas for the probability of transmission/reflection of our quantum particle through/from the interaction region of the potential. An illustrative numerical example is given, which also highlights an existence of scattering resonances. Finally, Part C elaborates the nonhermitian scattering theory (Siegert pseudostate formalism), which offers an extremely powerful tool suitable for clear cut understanding of the resonance phenomena.
. -- For N-body quantum systems with singular potentials including hard cores we derive a Mourre estimate and give an elementary proof of asymptotic completeness in the short range case. No regularity is required on the boundary of the hard cores and no conditions on the potentials are imposed at finite interparticle distance, besides those allowing one to define self-adjoint Hamiltonians. R' esum' e. -- Pour des syst`emes quantiques `a N corps avec des potentiels singuliers incluant des noyaux durs nous d'emontrons une in'egalit'e de Mourre et nous pr'esentons une preuve 'el'ementaire de la compl'etude asymptotique pour le cas des interactions `a courte distance. Nous ne faisons aucune hypoth`ese de r'egularit'e sur le bord des noyaux durs et nous n'imposons pas de conditions sur le potentiel pour des distances finies entre particules, `a l'exception de celles qui permettent de d'efinir des hamiltoniens auto-adjoints. Contents 1 Introduction : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :...
The universal character of non-relativistic large three-body bosonic systems is addressed, with focus on highly interesting situations that occur in low-energy nuclear and atomic physics. Investigations on the trajectory of the first excited Efimov state, in a renormalized zero-range three-body model for a system with two bound and one virtual two-body subsystems, are reported. The approach is applied to n-n-18C, where the n - n virtual energy and the three-body ground state are kept fixed. It is shown that the real part of the elastic s-wave phase-shift ([Formula: see text]) presents a zero, or a pole in [Formula: see text], when the system has an Efimov excited or virtual state. A brief discussion is given on the relevance of the approach for ultracold atom physics with tunable scattering lengths.