Electron-positron pair production in ion collisions at low velocity beyond Born approximation

We derive the spectrum and the total cross section of electromagnetic $e^{+}e^{-}$ pair production in the collisions of two nuclei at low relative velocity $\beta$. Both free-free and bound-free $e^{+}e^{-}$ pair production is considered. The parameters $\eta_{A,B}=Z_{A,B}\alpha$ are assumed to be small compared to unity but arbitrary compared to $\beta$ ($Z_{A,B}$ are the charge numbers of the nuclei and $\alpha$ is the fine structure constant). Due to a suppression of the Born term by high power of $\beta$, the first Coulomb correction to the amplitude appears to be important at $\eta_{A,B}\gtrsim \beta$. The effect of a finite nuclear mass is discussed. In contrast to the result obtained in the infinite nuclear mass limit, the terms $\propto M^{-2}$ are not suppressed by the high power of $\beta$ and may easily dominate at sufficiently small velocities.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

High-energy e+e−e^+e^- photoproduction cross section close to the end of spectrum

We consider the cross section of electron-positron pair production by a high-energy photon in a strong Coulomb field close to the end of electron or positron spectrum. We show that the cross section essentially differs from the result obtained in the Born approximation as well as form the result which takes into account the Coulomb corrections under assumption that both electron and positron are ultrarelativistic. The cross section of bremsstrahlung in a strong Coulomb field by a high-energy electron is also obtained in the region where the final electron is not ultrarelativistic.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure

Quasiclassical Green function in an external field and small-angle scattering

The quasiclassical Green functions of the Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations in the external electric field are obtained with the first correction taken into account. The relevant potential is assumed to be localized, while its spherical symmetry is not required. Using these Green functions, the corresponding wave functions are found in the approximation similar to the Furry-Sommerfeld-Maue approximation. It is shown that the quasiclassical Green function does not coincide with the Green function obtained in the eikonal approximation and has a wider region of applicability. It is illustrated by the calculation of the small-angle scattering amplitude for a charged particle and the forward photon scattering amplitude. For charged particles, the first correction to the scattering amplitude in the non-spherically symmetric potential is found. This correction is proportional to the scattering angle. The real part of the amplitude of forward photon scattering in a screened Coulomb potential is obtained.Comment: 20 pages, latex, 1 figur

Relativistic Coulomb Green's function in dd-dimensions

Using the operator method, the Green's functions of the Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations in the Coulomb potential $-Z\alpha/r$ are derived for the arbitrary space dimensionality $d$. Nonrelativistic and quasiclassical asymptotics of these Green's functions are considered in detail.Comment: 9 page

Relativistic corrections to the electromagnetic polarizabilities of compound systems

The low-energy amplitude of Compton scattering on the bound state of two charged particles of arbitrary masses, charges and spins is calculated. A case in which the bound state exists due to electromagnetic interaction (QED) is considered. The term, proportional to $\omega^2$, is obtained taking into account the first relativistic correction. It is shown that the complete result for this correction differs essentially from the commonly used term $\Delta\alpha$, proportional to the r.m.s. charge radius of the system. We propose that the same situation can take place in the more complicated case of hadrons.Comment: 19 pages, LaTe

Small-angle scattering and quasiclassical approximation beyond leading order

In the present paper we examine the accuracy of the quasiclassical approach on the example of small-angle electron elastic scattering. Using the quasiclassical approach, we derive the differential cross section and the Sherman function for arbitrary localized potential at high energy. These results are exact in the atomic charge number and correspond to the leading and the next-to-leading high-energy small-angle asymptotics for the scattering amplitude. Using the small-angle expansion of the exact amplitude of electron elastic scattering in the Coulomb field, we derive the cross section and the Sherman function with a relative accuracy $\theta^2$ and $\theta^1$, respectively ($\theta$ is the scattering angle). We show that the correction of relative order $\theta^2$ to the cross section, as well as that of relative order $\theta^1$ to the Sherman function, originates not only from the contribution of large angular momenta $l\gg 1$, but also from that of $l\sim 1$. This means that, in general, it is not possible to go beyond the accuracy of the next-to-leading quasiclassical approximation without taking into account the non-quasiclassical terms.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Corrections to the energy levels of a spin-zero particle bound in a strong field

Formulas for the corrections to the energy levels and wave functions of a spin-zero particle bound in a strong field are derived. General case of the sum of a Lorentz-scalar potential and zero component of a Lorentz-vector potential is considered. The forms of the corrections differ essentially from those for spin-1/2 particles. As an example of application of our results, we evaluated the electric polarizability of a ground state of a spin-zero particle bound in a strong Coulomb field.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur