Coherent scattering in non-relativistic quantum mechanics

TL;DR

This paper investigates the conditions for coherent scattering in non-relativistic quantum mechanics, demonstrating that coherence occurs when the incident particle's de Broglie wavelength exceeds the system's size, preventing internal structure resolution.

Contribution

It provides a clear criterion for coherent scattering based on the de Broglie wavelength relative to the system size, clarifying the physical conditions needed.

Findings

Coherent scattering occurs when the de Broglie length is much larger than the system size.

The internal structure of the system is unresolved under these conditions.

The paper delineates the boundary between coherent and incoherent scattering regimes.

Abstract

We show under which conditions a particle scatters coherently on a multi-particles system, working in the non relativistic framework. In a nutshell, in order to have coherent scattering, the incident particle has to not resolve the internal structure of the composite system. We show that the above condition is satisfied when the de Broglie length of the incident particle is much larger than the size of the system.