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Feyman's quantum mechanics applied to scattering problems

University of British Columbia

This thesis consists of two independent parts, both of which are applications of the quantum mechanical methods developed recently by R. P. Feynman. Part I is concerned with the non-relativistic theory, and applies Feynman’s formalism to the simple problem of the scattering of a particle by a potential field. The method and results are compared with those of the familiar Born-approximation. The two procedures are shown to be equivalent and to be valid under the same conditions. Feynman’s formulae are used to calculate the first and second order terms of the scattered particle wave function, with an arbitrary scattering potential. Part II uses the relativistic Feynman theory, and treats the scattering of positrons by electrons, and of two electrons. The calculation checks the work of H.J.Bhabha and C. Møller, who have obtained the same results by other methods. The differential cross-sections for the two scattering processes are calculated to first order, and an estimate is made of the feasibility of an experiment to determine whether the exchange effect described by Bhabha actually occurs in positron-electron scattering.

Text

2012-03-01

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/41060

Physics

University of British Columbia

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