Comptonszóródás

Compton scattering, also known as the Compton effect, is a physical phenomenon where a photon (a particle of light) interacts with an electron, transferring some of its energy to the electron and changing its trajectory. This process was first described by Arthur Holly Compton in 1923. The effect is significant in the field of quantum mechanics and has practical applications in various scientific and technological fields.

In Compton scattering, the incoming photon has an energy E and wavelength λ. After the interaction, the photon's energy is reduced to E' and its wavelength increases to λ'. The difference in energy (E - E') is transferred to the electron, which recoils with a kinetic energy of E - E'. The change in wavelength (λ' - λ) is known as the Compton shift and is a characteristic of the scattering process.

The Compton effect provides evidence for the particle nature of light and the quantization of energy. It also has practical applications in medical imaging, such as in Compton cameras used for gamma-ray astronomy and positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Additionally, Compton scattering is used in materials science to study the electronic structure of materials and in the development of advanced imaging techniques.

The Compton scattering formula, derived from the conservation of energy and momentum, relates the change in wavelength of the photon to the scattering angle and the rest mass of the electron. This formula is fundamental in understanding the interaction of photons with matter and has been extensively studied and verified through various experiments.