COMPTON EFFECT

In 1924, Arthur Compton discovered that when a beam of monochromatic X-rays or γ rays (of
shorter wavelength) are scattered by atoms of an element of low atomic number (such as graphite),
the scattered radiation contains not only the original wavelength but also but also another new
modified radiation of slightly longer wavelength – the satellite line. Scattering leading to a modified
wavelength is called incoherent scattering. This type of incoherent X-Ray scattering is called
Compton effect. The difference between the wavelength of original wave and the scattered
modified wave is called Compton shift.

X ray source Collimating slits Graphite Crystal

Detector

Fig. 3.1. Compton’s experimental arrangement.

Characteristics of Compton shift

1. It is found that the Compton shift dλ between the two radiations-primary and satellite varies
with the angle of scattering.

2. The Compton shift dλ is independent of the wavelength of the primary radiation.

3. The Compton shift dλ is independent of the nature of the scatte

Explanation of Compton effect

The phenomenon of Compton effect could not be explained from the wave nature of radiation as it
demands that scattered radiation should be of same wavelength as the incident one. But the result
can be explained from the Quantum concept of radiation. The process is regarded as a collision
between an incident photon and an electron of the scatterer keeping in mind that the conservation
of energy and momentum holds good. If a photon of energy hν strikes an electron it will impart
some of its energy to the electron in the form of kinetic energy. Consequently the photon
undergoes a loss of energy. To account for the decrease of energy, the scattered radiation should
have a smaller frequency and hence a longer wavelength.
Mathematical approach and calculation of Compton shift.

௛ Q/
E/ = hν/, p/ =
௖

E1 = m0c2, p1=0

θ Z
௛Q
E = hν, p= φ
௖

E1/ = mc2, p1/ = mv.

Fig. 3.2. Kinetics of Compton scattering.

Let a photon of energy hν collide with an electron of the target. Energy of photon before collision =
௛Q
E = hν and momentum before collision is p =
௖
, c, being the velocity of light in free space. After
collision the electron recoils with a velocity ‘v’ in a direction making an angle φ with the
direction of incident photon in clockwise sense, and a photon with lower energy is scattered in
a direction making an angle θ with the direction of incidence in anticlockwise sense. The energy
of the electron before scattering in E1 = m0c2, and its momentum is p1 = 0, as the electron is
initially at rest.

Total energy before collision is = ET = hν + m0c2 ……………………(3.1)

௛Q
Total momentum before collision = pT = ………………………………(3.2)
௖

After collision:

Energy of recoil electron = E1/ = mc2 ………………………………….(3.3) m is the relativistic mass.

Momentum of recoil electron = p1/ = mv ………………………………(3.4)

P1/ is in a direction making an angle φ with the direction of incident photon

Energy of scattered photon = E/ = hν/ ………………………….(3.5)

௛Q/
Momentum of scattered photon = p/ = …………………………….(3.6)
௖

p/ is in a direction making an angle θ with the direction of incident photon.

Let Z be the direction of incidence and Y be the direction perpendicular to the direction of
incidence.

Applying momentum conservation in Z direction

௛Q ௛ Q/
௖
=ቀ ௖
ቁCosθ + mvCosφ ………………………………………(3.7) from (3.2), (3.4) and (3.6)

Applying momentum conservation in Y direction

௛Q/
0=ቀ ቁSinθ - mvSinφ ……………………………………… (3.8) from (3.2), (3.4) and (3.6)
௖

Applying energy conservation

hν + m0c2 = hν/ + mc2 …………………………………….(3.9) from (3.1), (3.3) and (3.5)

From (3.7) and (3.8)

mvcCosφ = h(ν - ν/Cosθ) ……………………………….(3.10)

and mvcSinφ = hν/Sinθ ………………………………………(3.11)

Squaring and adding (3.10) and (3.11)

m2v2c2 = h2(ν2 + ν/2 - 2νν/Cosθ) ………………….(3.12)

from (3.9) mc2 = m0c2 + h(ν - ν/) ………………………..(3.13)

squaring (3.13) m2c4 = m02c4 + h2(ν2 + ν/2 - 2νν/) + 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/) ………….(3.14)

Subtracting (3.12) from (3.14)

m2c2(c2 – v2) = m02c4 – 2h2νν/(1-Cosθ) + 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/)

௩మ
or m2c4 (1 - ) = m02c4 – 2h2νν/(1-Cosθ) + 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/) …………………(3.15)
௖మ
௠బ
Now the relativistic mass m = మ
.
ට(ଵ ି ೡమ )
೎

‫ݒ‬ 2 ௩మ
Hence m0 = mට(1 − ܿ2 ) and m02 = m2(1 − ) ………………………..(3.16)
௖మ

From (3.15) and (3.16)

m02c4 = m02c4 – 2h2νν/(1-Cosθ) + 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/)

or 0 = - 2h2νν/(1-Cosθ) + 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/)

or 2h2νν/(1-Cosθ) = 2m0c2 h(ν - ν/)

or hνν/(1-Cosθ = m0c2 (ν - ν/)

T
or 2hνν/Sin2 = m0c2 (ν - ν/)
ଶ

Q ି Q/
= m0c2 ቀ ቁ
T
or 2hSin2
ଶ QQ/

ଵ ଵ
= m0c2 ቀ / − ቁ
T
or 2hSin2
ଶ Q Q

௖ ௖
= m 0c ቀ / − ቁ
T
or 2hSin2
ଶ Q Q

T
or 2hSin2 = m0c(λ - λ/)
ଶ

2hSin2ቀ ቁ = m0c.dλ , where dλ = (λ - λ/) = Compton shift.

T
or
ଶ

ଶ୦ୗ୧୬ଶቀ ቁ
T
మ
= 2λ0 Sinଶ ቀ ቁ …………………..(3.17)
T
Or dλ =
௠బ ௖ ଶ

Equation (3.17) gives the expression for Compton shift.

2h
λ0 = ݉ ܿ . m0 = rest mass of electron, c = velocity of light and h = Planck’s constant. All these
0
quantities are universal constants. So λ0 is also an universal constant which has a dimension of
length and is called Compton wavelength of an electron . The value of λ0 is 0.024Å. This shows
that the Compton shift depends only on the angle of scattering but independent of the
frequency of incident radiation and nature of target.

Energy of scattered photon.

Energy of scattered photon is E/ = hν/

Now, it has been shown earlier that :

ଵ ଵ
= m0c2 ቀ / − ቁ
T
2hSin2
ଶ Q Q

ଵ ଵ
Or h(1 - Cosθ) = m0c2 ቀ − ቁ
Q/ Q
 ଵ ଵ ୦(ଵ ି େ୭ୱT)
Or = +
Q/ Q ௠బ ௖ మ

ଵ
Hence ν/ = భ ౞(భ ష ి౥౩T)
ା
Q ೘బ ೎మ

௛Q
Or E/ = hν/ = ౞Q(భ ష ి౥౩T) = Energy of scattered photon in terms of scattering angle θ,
ଵା
೘బ ೎మ

and energy hν of incident photon.

Kinetic energy of recoil electron.

Since thethe kinetic energy is supplied by a part of the energy of the incident photon,hence
gain in electron energy is equal to the loss in photon energy. So the kinetic energy of the recoil
electron is obtained by simply subtracting the energy of the scattered photon from the energy
of incident photon.

௛Q
Ek = hν - ౞Q(భ ష ి౥౩T)
ଵା
೘బ ೎మ

ଵ
= hνቆ1 − ౞Q(భ ష ి౥౩T) ቇ
ଵା
೘బ ೎మ

౞Q(భ ష ి౥౩T)
೘బ ೎మ
Ek = hνቆ ౞Q(భ ష ి౥౩T) ቇ
ଵା
೘బ ೎మ

௔(ଵ ି େ୭ୱT)
= hνቄ
ଵା ௔(ଵ ି େ୭ୱT)
ቅ

୦Q
Where a =
௠బ ௖ మ

θ’, and the angle of deviation ‘φ

Relation between the angle of scattering of the photon ‘θ φ’ of
the recoil electron.

From equation (3.10) and (3.11):

Q/ ௌ௜௡ఏ
tanφ = ……………………………………………(3.18)
Q ି Q/ ஼௢௦ఏ

1 1 hቀ1 – CosTቁ
Also from it has been deduced earlier that: Q/ = Q +
݉0 ܿ2
 ଵ ଵ ୦Q൫ଵ – େ୭ୱT൯
Or = ൜1 + ൠ
Q/ Q ௠బ ௖ మ

ଵ ୦Q
= Q ൬1 + 2ܽSinଶ ቀଶቁ൰ Where a =
T
௠బ ௖ మ

/ Q
Hence ν = …………………………(3.19)
ଵାଶ௔ୗ୧୬మ ቀ ቁ
T
మ

/
Substituting the value of ν from (3.19) in (3.18):

ܵ݅݊T
Q
1+2ܽSin2൬ ൰
T
2
‫ݏ݋ܥ‬T
tanφ =
Q ି
Q
1+2ܽSin2൬ ൰
T
2

ܵ݅݊T
Q
1+2ܽSin2൬ ൰
T
2
Q(1−‫ݏ݋ܥ‬T )+2ܽQSin2൬2
=
൰
T

1+2ܽSin2൬ ൰
T
2

Qௌ௜௡T
= 2 T
Q ቄ൫(1−‫ݏ݋ܥ‬T )൯ା2ܽSin ቀ2ቁ ቅ

ഇ ഇ
ଶQௌ௜௡ቀ ቁ஼௢௦ቀ ቁ
మ మ
=
ଶQୗ୧୬మ ቀ ቁሼଵାୟሽ
T
మ

ഇ
஼௢௧ቀ ቁ
మ
=
ଵା௔

ఏ hQ ఏ
Cotφ =‫ ݊ܽݐ‬ቀ ቁ (1 + ܽ) = ቀ1 + ቁ ‫ ݊ܽݐ‬ቀ ቁ
݉0 ܿ2
Or ………………………………(3.20)
ଶ ଶ

Equation (3.20) gives the Relation between the angle of scattering of the photon ‘θ’, and the
angle of deviation ‘φ’ of the recoil electron.

Discussions

1. Compton shift depends only on the angle of scattering but independent of the frequency of
incident radiation and nature of target.

2. The minimum Compton shift occurs when there is no scattering i.e. θ = 0. The value of
(dλ)min = 0.

3. The maximum Compton shift occurs when the photon is scattered back i.e. θ = 1800. The
value of (dλ)max = 2λ0
 ௛
4. At θ = 900 , the value of dλ = = λ0 = 0.024Å , which is in agreement with the
௠బ ௖
experimental results.

Comparisn between Compton scattering and photoelectric effect.

Serial no. Compton scattering Photoelectric effect

1 The energy of the incident light The energy of the incident light quantum
quantum should be greater than should be of the same order of the binding
the binding energy of the electron, energy of the electron. As the photon is
so that the electron recoils and a absorbed, the binding energy is overcome by
scattered photon of lower energy the acquired energy, and the electron as well
appears. as the resulting ion recoil with a certain
energy and and momentum.
2 A part of the energy of the incident The energy of incident photon is either
photon is absorbed by the completely absorbed by the electron or no
electron. energy is absorbed at all.