(i) A particle of momentum ℏk and energy E=ℏ2k2/2m scatters off a sphericallysymmetric target in three dimensions. Define the corresponding scattering amplitude f as a function of the scattering angle θ. Expand the scattering amplitude in partial waves of definite angular momentum l, and determine the coefficients of this expansion in terms of the phase shifts δl(k) appearing in the following asymptotic form of the wavefunction, valid at large distance from the target,
ψ(r)∼l=0∑∞2ik2l+1[e2iδlreikr−(−1)lre−ikr]Pl(cosθ).
Here, r=∣r∣ is the distance from the target and Pl are the Legendre polynomials.
[You may use without derivation the following approximate relation between plane and spherical waves (valid asymptotically for large r ):
exp(ikz)∼l=0∑∞(2l+1)ilkrsin(kr−21lπ)Pl(cosθ).
(ii) Suppose that the potential energy takes the form V(r)=λU(r) where λ≪1 is a dimensionless coupling. By expanding the wavefunction in a power series in λ, derive the Born Approximation to the scattering amplitude in the form
f(θ)=−ℏ22mλ∫0∞U(r)qsinqrrdr
up to corrections of order λ2, where q=2ksin(θ/2). [You may quote any results you need for the Green's function for the differential operator ∇2+k2 provided they are stated clearly.]
(iii) Derive the corresponding order λ contribution to the phase shift δl(k) of angular momentum l.
[You may use the orthogonality relations
∫−1+1Pl(w)Pm(w)dw=(2l+1)2δlm
and the integral formula
∫01Pl(1−2x2)sin(ax)dx=2a[jl(2a)]2
where jl(z) is a spherical Bessel function.]