Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ii Paper 3 35A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
The asymptotic scattering wavefunction isIn each partial wave, the Partial-wave S-matrix is the ratio of its outgoing coefficient to its incoming coefficient. With the conventions in the question,For elastic scattering by a real central potential, unitarity gives , so for a real scattering phase shift . HenceUsing the Orthogonality of Legendre polynomials in yields the partial-wave total scattering cross-section
For the S-wave, write the reduced radial wavefunction aswhere regularity at selected the hyperbolic sine. Continuity of and at , equivalently logarithmic-derivative matching, givesorFor , let the scattering length be . Expanding the matching relation givesOnly the S wave contributes at leading order, soIn the hard-sphere limit , penetration is suppressed, , andThis is four times the geometric area , a wave effect associated with diffraction from an impenetrable sphere.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ii Paper 4 33B b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Write . Sincethe outgoing-to-incoming coefficient ratio is . Hence the Partial-wave S-matrix element and scattering phase shift areThe scattering length from a partial-wave S-matrix is
For the stated S-wave scattering solution, as , soUsing the same incoming/outgoing convention,Therefore
The analytic continuation of has a bound-state pole of the scattering amplitude at in the upper half-plane. Since , this givesTo extract the bound-state wavefunction, multiply the scattering solution by and take the pole limit:Thus the unnormalized exterior solution isThese data are collected in the Hyperbolic-tangent S-wave exterior solution.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ii Paper 2 36B b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The scattering amplitude is defined byFor a central potential its partial-wave expansion isUsing orthogonality of the Legendre polynomials in gives
Scattering phase shift 2026-09-29
For elastic scattering by a real central potential, the phase shift measures the phase difference between the asymptotic radial wave in angular-momentum channel and the corresponding free wave. Its channel Partial-wave S-matrix is .