Using , the scalar Lippmann-Schwinger equation is . The Born approximation replaces the total field inside the integral by the known incident field:For a unit plane wave, its far-field pattern is . Thus each incident direction samples a shifted sphere in the Fourier transform of the potential.
Crystal scattering Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
In the Born approximation, scattering from identical atomic potentials translated to lattice sites factors into one atomic form factor times a finite sum of phases over the crystal sites.
Inverse scattering problem Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
An inverse scattering problem reconstructs a medium or obstacle from measured scattered waves. Under the Born approximation, fixed-frequency far-field data sample the Fourier transform of the scattering potential on a restricted frequency surface.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2005 ii Paper 1 33B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ii Paper 4 33B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 72 1 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Let be the first-order scattered correction in the Born approximation for scalar wave scattering, using the paper's Green function convention. Comparing its outgoing integral with the preceding logarithmic correction givesTherefore the exact algebraic relation between the two first-order approximations isIf , then on a controlled fixed region, andThus Born and Rytov agree to first order in the scattering potential, but differ as finite approximations. The Rytov approximation exponentiates the first logarithmic correction; the Born approximation adds the first field correction. The exponential's higher powers are not a calculation of all higher multiple-scattering terms in the Born series. This distinction explains why a smooth, appreciable wave phase accumulation can be represented more naturally by the Rytov approximation even when the corresponding linear field expansion is inaccurate.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 ii Paper 4 31A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-06
The reciprocal lattice is . With oriented primitive-cell volume , its basis is and the cyclic variants; thus .
The total potential is . Using the Fourier transform convention , translation gives , withThe given Born approximation therefore supplies the amplitude . A finite geometric series gives, when the denominators are nonzero,At reciprocal-lattice vectors each phase is one, so , the number of atoms. For large finite crystals these narrow peaks represent coherent Bragg scattering, with peak intensity proportional to the squared number of atoms; their finite width reflects the finite crystal size.
For the specified face-centered cubic lattice, andThe reciprocal lattice have coordinates with all even or all odd. The two shortest nonzero length families are for and for . Elastic scattering satisfies . The assumed incident magnitude exceeds , so both families are kinematically accessible, andThis is the angular prediction for suitable crystal orientations, or for a powder containing those orientations. A fixed single-crystal orientation must additionally satisfy the vector Elastic Bragg scattering condition ; the magnitude bound alone cannot guarantee both peaks for every incident direction.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ii Paper 4 35D Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Ignoring magnetization, electric polarization charge transport gives bound current . The assumed weak dielectric contrast therefore gives inside the sphere. This is the first Born approximation: the incident field supplies the electric polarization to leading order in .
For , the far-distance expansions are and . Substitute the retarded time into the phase in the Lorenz gauge vector potential. The phase becomes , so, using ,The assumptions and control amplitude and phase errors respectively. In the radiation zone the supplied electric and magnetic fields satisfy . Complex phasors therefore give the time-averaged radial Poynting flux . The incident flux is , soOrient spherical coordinates along to evaluate the form factor:ConsequentlyAt the bracket is interpreted by its limit , not a singularity. The transverse factor accounts for polarization of an electromagnetic wave; for complex polarization of an electromagnetic wave its squared norm means the Hermitian norm.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ii Paper 4 34A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
A three-dimensional Bravais lattice is the set of all integer combinations of three linearly independent primitive vectors. Its reciprocal lattice isand the first Brillouin zone is the Wigner-Seitz cell of the origin in reciprocal space.
For the stated FCC lattice, the primitive-cell volume isThe reciprocal-basis formula givesA reciprocal primitive cell, and hence the Brillouin zone, has volume
In the first Born approximation, with momentum transfer , the scattering amplitude isFor the spherical shell, align the polar axis with and use its radial Dirac delta function:Therefore
Translation of each atomic potential multiplies its transform by a phase, so the crystal lattice structure factor givesFor an infinite lattice, the lattice Poisson summation formula turns the sum intoThus the amplitude vanishes away from reciprocal-lattice momentum transfers.
In elastic scattering, and henceThe two shortest relevant reciprocal-vector lengths of this FCC lattice areBoth are kinematically available when . Assigning their scattering angles and , respectively, gives
After separating the conserved horizontal factor as , the Helmholtz equation becomeswhere is the Heaviside step function. The outgoing Green function for isThe Born approximation at first order replaces on the right-hand side by the incident profile . For this givesThe integral is understood with the usual outgoing-wave convergence factor. Sincewe obtainTherefore the Born reflected field is
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 335 1 iii Solution 2026-09-28
The Taylor expansion of the square root isSubstitution into the exact reflection coefficient givesConsequentlyThis is exactly the reflected field furnished by both the Born approximation and the term linear in in the Rytov approximation. Thus the exact, Born, and Rytov fields agree through first order. If the Rytov exponential is retained without re-expansion, its higher powers generate spatial harmonics ; those terms are part of the approximation and should not be confused with the exact interface's single reflected wave.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 34D Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Let the Bravais lattice have primitive vectors , and putThe reciprocal lattice has the basisThe scalar triple product and cross product identities giveConsequently every satisfies for every lattice point , and conversely these three conditions force the coefficients of in the reciprocal basis to be integers. This proves that the displayed vectors generate .
In the Born approximation, suppose that the crystal potential is the sum of translates of one atomic potential over the finite set of lattice sites. Its Fourier transform at the momentum transfer factors asThus the single-atom scattering amplitude is multiplied by the crystal lattice structure factor . Writingseparates the sum into three finite geometric series. For this givesWhen the are large, a factor has a sharp maximum when . All three factors are therefore simultaneously large precisely when . These are the reciprocal-lattice peaks of a finite crystal.
For the stated Body-centered cubic lattice basis,the reciprocal-basis formula givesEquivalently,The shortest nonzero reciprocal vectors have squared Euclidean norm , so
In elastic scattering, . If and is the angle between and , Euclidean geometry givesThe first possible diffraction peak therefore occurs atas , by the small-angle approximation. This is the elastic Bragg scattering condition for the shortest reciprocal-lattice vector.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 335 2 i Solution 2026-09-28
Use the sign convention in the question,Then the total field satisfiesThe outgoing free-space Green function iswith . Hence the Lippmann-Schwinger equation isReplacing the unknown interior total field by the incident field gives the first Born approximation
For the Rytov approximation, put . After division by , the wave equation givesNeglecting the quadratic term makes obey the same inhomogeneous equation as the first Born scattered field. ThusandIts power series beginsso the two approximations agree through first order in the scattering potential.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 335 2 iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The inverse problem is ill posed for several related reasons. At one frequency and one incident direction, the data sample only on the two-dimensional Ewald surface , so three-dimensional reconstruction is nonunique without more illuminations or prior information. Finite aperture and a bounded frequency band omit additional Fourier components and limit resolution. The forward map is compact, so its singular values tend to zero and inversion strongly amplifies measurement noise. Finally, the Born approximation neglects multiple scattering; model error becomes significant when the contrast or support is too large, while uncertainty in the incident field, measurement geometry, and domain creates further instability.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 335 2 i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
With the scattering potential , the total field obeysThe outgoing Green function is . The Lippmann-Schwinger equation and the first Born approximation giveFor ,sowhere is the momentum transfer. Thus the far-field pattern is times the Fourier transform of at the measured transfer vectors. If sufficiently many incident directions and frequencies supply all , the formal reconstruction iswith constants adjusted to the chosen Fourier convention.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 ii Paper 1 35E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Insert the incident plane wave for in the integral. At large , , so the outgoing amplitude isThus Born approximation gives the stated differential cross section.