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Compton Effect

The Compton effect refers to the observation that x-rays scattered by atomic targets have a longer wavelength than the incident x-rays. This wavelength shift, known as the Compton shift, depends on the scattering angle and can be observed due to x-rays' short wavelengths. The effect is attributed to scattering by the atom's electrons rather than the whole atom. Quantum theory describes the Compton effect as an elastic collision between a photon and electron at rest, and equations are derived relating the photon's energy and momentum to the electron's energy and momentum after scattering. This leads to an expression for the Compton wavelength shift in terms of the scattering angle.

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31 views

Compton Effect

The Compton effect refers to the observation that x-rays scattered by atomic targets have a longer wavelength than the incident x-rays. This wavelength shift, known as the Compton shift, depends on the scattering angle and can be observed due to x-rays' short wavelengths. The effect is attributed to scattering by the atom's electrons rather than the whole atom. Quantum theory describes the Compton effect as an elastic collision between a photon and electron at rest, and equations are derived relating the photon's energy and momentum to the electron's energy and momentum after scattering. This leads to an expression for the Compton wavelength shift in terms of the scattering angle.

Uploaded by

imran hossain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Compton effect pertains to the sca1ering of monochroma4c

x-rays by atomic targets and


refers to the observa4on that
the wavelength of the
sca1ered x-rays is greater
than that of the incident
radia4on.
Figure 1, illustrates the
process and iden4fies the
Compton wavelength shiC in
terms of the wavelength
difference
Figure 1: COMPTON EFFECT

𝜆! − 𝜆

This quan4ty is observed to vary as a func4on of the sca1ering angle


𝜃 shown in the figure. The experiment is performed with x-rays
because the short wavelengths are needed to have an observable
effect. A pronounced x-ray wavelength shiC is associated with a
sca1ering of the x-ray by an electron in an atom rather than by the
atom as a whole. We demonstrate this experimentally by finding that
the shiC does not depend on the iden4ty of the atomic sca1erer, and
so we a1ribute the effect to the electron as the common cons4tuent
of all target atoms. Our discussion of the Compton efect is given in
terms of the sca1ering of an x-ray by a free electron, since an x-ray
quantum carries enough energy to make the dis4nc4on between a
bound electron and a free electron essen4ally irrelevant.

The quantum theory of radia4on treats the x-ray beam as a stream of


photons. For x rays of wavelength 𝜆 the photon energy is given by:

!"
𝜖 = ℎ𝜈 = (1)
#
The photon is also assigned a momentum according to Einstein's
revision of the photon concept:

$ !% !
𝑝= = = (2)
" " #

Figure 2: Compton effect

The Compton process is then described in terms of a rela4vis4c


collision involving the elas4c sca1ering of a photon by an electron,

𝛾+ 𝑒 → 𝛾+ 𝑒

We take the electron to be at rest ini4ally and to have energy and


momentum E and P aCer the collision. These variables are related by
the rela4vis4c formula given by:

𝐸 & = 𝑃 & 𝑐 & + 𝑚' & 𝑐 ( (3)

We may write conserva4on of momentum as,

𝑝⃗ − ---⃗
𝑝' = 𝑃-⃗

And square the equality to get,

---⃗+ + 𝑐 & 𝑝+ & = 𝑐 & 𝑃&


𝑐 & 𝑝& − 2𝑐 & 𝑝⃗. 𝑝 (4)

Since 𝑐𝑝 = 𝜖 and 𝑐𝑝! = 𝜖 ! , the result can be rewri1en as


𝜖 & − 2𝜖𝜖 + 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝜖 +& = 𝐸 & − 𝑚' & 𝑐 ( (5)

Where equa4on_3 is used to eliminate 𝑃" .


We also employ conserva4on of rela4vis4c energy by wri4ng,

𝜖 + 𝑚' 𝑐 & = 𝜖 + + 𝐸 (6)

Rearranging and squaring produce the following equality:

𝜖 & − 2𝜖𝜖 + + 𝜖 +& = 𝐸 & − 2𝐸𝑚' 𝑐 & + 𝑚'& 𝑐 ( (7)

Subtrac4ng equa4on_7 from equa4on_5 we get,

2𝜖𝜖 + (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃) = 2𝑚' 𝑐 & (𝐸 − 𝑚' 𝑐 & )


= 2𝑚' 𝑐 & (𝜖 − 𝜖 + )

[using equa4on_6]
Now we divide by 2𝜖𝜖 ! to obtain,
, ,
1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 𝑚' 𝑐 & 6 ! − 7
$ $

# ! #
= 𝑚' 𝑐 & 6 − 7
!" !"

using Equa4on_1 at the last step. Finally, we solve for the wavelength
difference and find,

!
Δ𝜆 = 𝜆' − 𝜆 = (1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃)
-" "

As the desired result for the Compton wavelength shiC.

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