We give a pedagogical introduction to time-independent scattering theory in one dimension focusing on the basic properties and recent applications of transfer matrices. In particular, we begin surveying some basic notions of potential scattering such as transfer matrix and its analyticity, multidelta-function and locally periodic potentials, Jost solutions, spectral singularities and their time-reversal, and unidirectional reflectionlessness and invisibility. We then offer a simple derivation of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation and the Born series, and discuss the Born approximation. Next, we outline a recently developed dynamical formulation of time-independent scattering theory in one dimension. This formulation relates the transfer matrix and therefore the solution of the scattering problem for a given potential to the solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for an effective nonunitary two-level quantum system. We provide a self-contained treatment of this formulation and some of its most important applications. Specifically, we use it to devise a powerful alternative to the Born series and Born approximation, derive dynamical equations for the reflection and transmission amplitudes, discuss their application in constructing exact tunable unidirectionally invisible potentials, and use them to provide an exact solution for single-mode inverse scattering problems. The latter, which has important applications in designing optical devices with a variety of functionalities, amounts to providing an explicit construction for a finite-range complex potential whose reflection and transmission amplitudes take arbitrary prescribed values at any given wavenumber.
We give a pedagogical introduction to time-independent scattering theory in one dimension focusing on the basic properties and recent applications of transfer matrices. In particular, we begin surveying some basic notions of potential scattering such as transfer matrix and its analyticity, multidelta-function and locally periodic potentials, Jost solutions, spectral singularities and their time-reversal, and unidirectional reflectionlessness and invisibility. We then offer a simple derivation of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation and the Born series, and discuss the Born approximation. Next, we outline a recently developed dynamical formulation of time-independent scattering theory in one dimension. This formulation relates the transfer matrix and therefore the solution of the scattering problem for a given potential to the solution of the time-dependent Schrodinger equation for an effective nonunitary two-level quantum system. We provide a self-contained treatment of this formulation and some of its most important applications. Specifically, we use it to devise a powerful alternative to the Born series and Born approximation, derive dynamical equations for the reflection and transmission amplitudes, discuss their application in constructing exact tunable unidirectionally invisible potentials, and use them to provide an exact solution for single-mode inverse scattering problems. The latter, which has important applications in designing optical devices with a variety of functionalities, amounts to providing an explicit construction for a finite-range complex potential whose reflection and transmission amplitudes take arbitrary prescribed values at any given wavenumber.
We give a pedagogical introduction to time-independent scattering theory in one dimension focusing on the basic properties and recent applications of transfer matrices. In particular, we begin surveying some basic notions of potential scattering such as transfer matrix and its analyticity, multi-delta-function and locally periodic potentials, Jost solutions, spectral singularities and their time-reversal, and unidirectional reflectionlessness and invisibility. We then offer a simple derivation of the Lippmann-Schwinger equation and Born series, and discuss the Born approximation. Next, we outline a recently developed dynamical formulation of time-independent scattering theory in one dimension. This formulation relates the transfer matrix and therefore the solution of the scattering problem for a given potential to the solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation for an effective non-unitary two-level quantum system. We provide a self-contained treatment of this formulation and some of its most important applications. Specifically, we use it to devise a powerful alternative to the Born series and Born approximation, derive dynamical equations for the reflection and transmission amplitudes, discuss their application in constructing exact tunable unidirectionally invisible potentials, and use them to provide an exact solution for single-mode inverse scattering problems. The latter, which has important applications in designing optical devices with a variety of functionalities, amounts to providing an explicit construction for a finite-range complex potential whose reflection and transmission amplitudes take arbitrary prescribed values at any given wavenumber.
We offer a consistent dynamical formulation of stationary scattering in two and three dimensions (2D and 3D) that is based on a suitable multidimensional generalization of the transfer matrix. This is a linear operator acting in an infinite-dimensional function space which we can represent as a $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ matrix with operator entries. This operator encodes the information about the scattering properties of the potential and enjoys an analog of the composition property of its one-dimensional ancestor. Our results improve an earlier attempt in this direction [Phys. Rev. A 93, 042707 (2016)] by elucidating the role of the evanescent waves. We show that a proper formulation of this approach requires the introduction of a pair of intertwined transfer matrices, each related to the time-evolution operator for an effective nonunitary quantum system. We study the application of our findings in the treatment of the scattering problem for $\ensuremath{\delta}$-function potentials in 2D and 3D and clarify its implicit regularization property which circumvents the singular terms appearing in the standard treatments of these potentials. We also discuss the utility of our approach in characterizing invisible (scattering-free) potentials and potentials for which the first Born approximation provides the exact expression for the scattering amplitude.
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.
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.
Quantum scattering connects microscopic dynamics to amplitudes, phase shifts, cross sections, transport coefficients, and resonances. This selective Review organizes the Lippmann–Schwinger equation, resolvents, transfer and scattering matrices, nonequilibrium Green’s functions, and R-matrix theory as related representations of a common scattering problem. Born, Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin, and eikonal error tests accompany comparisons of numerical scaling, stability, and method selection. Inverse scattering is examined through the effects of phase loss, incomplete aperture, Jacobian null spaces, singular-value decay, model discrepancy, and noise, together with regularized, Bayesian, and learned approaches for stabilizing reconstruction. The Review then discusses probability-level optimal transport and its extension to emerging amplitude-based formulations, using the Quantum Optimal Transport Amplitude Method (QOTAM) as a concrete example. Its Euclidean and real-time variational constructions are summarized and tested across resonant barriers, multichannel and angular scattering, three-dimensional targets, and disordered waveguides. Independent reference calculations verify complex-amplitude closure, unitarity, flux conservation, and optical-theorem relations to benchmark-dependent numerical precision. In inverse problems, QOTAM is found to be competitive with correctly specified phase-sensitive likelihood methods while showing useful robustness in selected model-mismatch tests. These examples illustrate the promise of optimal-transport-based scattering methods. More broadly, the Review emphasizes how physical constraints, uncertainty quantification, identifiability, and computational scalability jointly shape reliable forward and inverse-scattering analyses.