Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 ii Paper 2 34B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The asymptotic scattering wavefunction is . For a real central potential, the scattering phase shift multiplies the outgoing component of each partial wave relative to the incoming one by . Matching the incident-wave normalization givesSubtract the given incident plane wave expansion. Since , the scattering amplitude isOrthogonality eliminates cross terms in , giving .
For the spherical square well, the regular reduced radial wave is inside and outside, with . Continuity of the wave and its derivative gives the logarithmic-derivative matching relation , orAt zeros of the denominators the original matching relation supplies the limiting interpretation.
Under the stated deep-well approximation, put and . The condition is . If , its first positive solution lies in ; if , it is . For , a solution lies in because there rises continuously from zero to infinity. If , the first positive solution lies in , where rises from one to infinity. The limiting pole case gives by the cotangent relation. Thus , without calculating the integer phase index. The use of presumes the located wave numbers remain small compared with .
Spherical square well 2026-10-14
A spherical square well is a central potential equal to a negative constant inside a sphere and zero outside it. For an S-wave scattering state with exterior wave number , the interior wave number obeys . Continuity of the reduced radial wave and its derivative gives , relating the depth to the scattering phase shift.