Scattering States and Observables
Start with the physical scattering experiment, then specify the boundary condition that selects an incoming or outgoing solution. Amplitudes retain phase information; cross sections compare outgoing rates with incident flux. The distinctions between a normalized wave packet and a stationary flux state matter throughout this chapter.
Helpful background. Use wave mechanics, probability current, and continuum normalization to translate between solutions and counting rates.
Enter this chapter
Section titled “Enter this chapter”- What Is a Scattering Experiment?
- Scattering States and Boundary Conditions
- Probability Current and Flux
- Scattering Amplitude
- Differential and Total Cross Sections
Use Scattering Theory to choose another chapter. General perturbative, variational, and semiclassical strategies are collected in Approximation and Semiclassical Methods.