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Form Factor and Nuclear Radius

This document discusses nuclear radii and form factors in electron scattering experiments. It defines three ways to characterize nuclear radius: R1/2, the radius at half nuclear density; <r>, the mean radius; and <r2>1/2, the root-mean-square radius. Electron scattering experiments measure the nuclear form factor, which is related to the Fourier transform of the nuclear density distribution and provides information about nuclear shape and size. Comparisons of theoretical form factors calculated for different nuclear density distributions to experimental electron scattering data on 16O can help determine the true distribution.

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112 views

Form Factor and Nuclear Radius

This document discusses nuclear radii and form factors in electron scattering experiments. It defines three ways to characterize nuclear radius: R1/2, the radius at half nuclear density; <r>, the mean radius; and <r2>1/2, the root-mean-square radius. Electron scattering experiments measure the nuclear form factor, which is related to the Fourier transform of the nuclear density distribution and provides information about nuclear shape and size. Comparisons of theoretical form factors calculated for different nuclear density distributions to experimental electron scattering data on 16O can help determine the true distribution.

Uploaded by

Anonymous rn2qoBPjKy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Review

● Atomic and nuclear mass, binding energy


● Decay law
● Decay probability, half life time, mean life time
● Life time for particles at relativistic energies
● Nuclear radius
Nuclear Radius
Nuclei can have very different shapes
and diffuse surfaces
How can the radius be defined?

● Radius R½ at half the nuclear density 6Li


  R1 / 2  =   0  / 2
What does the density distribution
● mean radius <r>
refer to?
〈r 〉 =∫   r  r d 
r
Charge or Matter distribution?
● root mean square radius <r2>1/2
〈 r 〉 = ∫   r  r d r
2 2
Electron Scattering and Form Factors
The Form Factor F 
q = ∫ r  e i
qr
d r
is the Fourier transform of the density distribution and
describes the extension of the object in q-space
2
q ∣ is the response of the object when probed by
∣F 
a projectile transferring a momentum q

Consequences:
● the more confined the density distribution is, the more

extended the object is in q-space


● Elastic scattering from a point source is flatter as a function

of the scattering angle compared to an extended object


Form Factor and Cross Section
The elastic electron scattering cross section is given by
2 4 2
d 2 4m e Z 2
q ∣ =
=∣f  4 4 q =∫ r  e d r
q ∣ with F 
∣F   i
qr
d q ℏ
Rutherford scattering
point charge

and using relativistic kinematics (but: non relativistic Schrödinger eqn!)

d Ze 2 2 1 2 d d 2
=  q ∣
∣F  =  ∣F q ∣
4
d  2 E sin /2 d  d  Rutherford
Spherically symmetric charge distribution
Example: Compare the r.m.s. radius <r2>½ with the radius for a
uniform sphere with density 0 and radius R.
Fermi distribution
0
 r =  r− R1/ 2 / a
1e
t
a=diffuseness=
4⋅ln3
t =r  / 0 =0.1−r  /0 =0.9

2 2
2 3 2 7  a
〈 r 〉 = R1 / 2 
5 5
for a sharp Fermi distribution the r.m.s radius
takes the value of a sphere
Gaussian density distribution
Example: Calculate the form factor and the r.m.s. radius for th e
Gaussian density distribution

2
− r / b
 r =0⋅e
Compare to experiment: e- scattering on 16 O
Application: Calculate elastic e- scattering at 420 MeV on 16 O
for different charge distributions and compare with experimental
data
d Ze 2 2 1 2
cross section =  4
∣F q ∣
d  2 E sin /2
E total energy of e- in CM
Z charge of target
q momentum transfer
q =∣q∣=∣pi − pf ∣= 2 p sin  / 2

form factor F q =∫  r  e i


qr
d r =∫ r  sin qr  d r

normalization ∫ r  d r =1

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