Lecture 5

TITLE: Electromagnetic Radiation Matter Interactions

Page-1

Objectives

In the previous lecture, we have learnt that the radiation or light is following
the Wave-Particle dual nature

It can be treated as electromagnetic wave or particle nature like photon

Similarly, the electrons can also be treated as particle and also as wave
corresponding to its momentum for describing the stable structure of atom.

When both of them interact with each other, we have to understand the
mechanism to follow for describing the experimental observations such as Compton
effect, absorption and emission of light by atoms.

In this lecture, the different kinds of treatment to understand the light-matter

interactions are described. We will start with the classical phenomenon and then proceed
to understand the quantum mechanical descriptions.
Page 2

Classical treatment:

In classical theory as shown in Figure 5.1, we model the atom as a heavy nucleus
with electron attached to it with spring the binding force between them.

The resonant frequency for this system is 0

If we treat the light as wave then the electric field can be represented as
E E0 Sint
Equation 5.1

E E

t t
+
Figure 5.1

The oscillating electric field will force the electron to oscillate. The displacement of
electron with respect to nucleus will produce an oscillating dipole.
It is known that an oscillating dipole emit electromagnetic radiation with the same
frequency of vibration. This emission of light is known as scattering of light by matter.
However, if the incident radiation frequency matches with the resonant frequency of
the system ( 0 ) then the resonance occurs. Energy transfer takes place.
The oscillating dipole p(t ) e x(t )
Equation 5.2
Where e is the charge of the electron and x(t) is the time dependent displacement of
electron with respect to nucleus.

When this dipole oscillates, it emits radiation. As time passes by, due to the radiation loss
the emission dies or decays. This phenomenon can be modeled as a damping oscillator
whose solution will be x(t).
The differential equation of motion of the damping oscillator with damping constant

x(t ) x(t ) 02 x(t ) 0

Equation 5.3
Where k2
, here k is the force constant of the spring.
0 m
Page 3

With the initial values i.e. at t = 0

the displacement x(0) x0 and the velocity x(0) 0 , the solution is

[Cost (
(
)Sint ]
)t
x(t ) x0e 2
2
Equation 5.4
2
1
The frequency (02 2
of the damped oscillation is slightly lower than the
)
4
frequency 0 of the undamped case.
(
Taking 0 , we get x(t ) x0e Cos0t .
)t
2

Equation 5.5

Line profile of the emitted radiation

The damped oscillation x(t ) can be described as a superposition of monochromatic
oscillations with slightly different frequencies and amplitude A( )

1
A( )e
it
x(t ) d
2
Equation 5.6

1
x(t )e
it
The amplitude A( ) can be calculated by A( ) dt
2
Equation 5.7

The intensity
1
I ( 0 ) A( ) A* ( ) I 0
( 0 ) ( / 2)2 2

Equation 5.8
x0
e-(/2)/t I(-0)

t
0
Figure 5.2
Page-4

Momentum of a Photon
E
Momentum vector magnitude p
c
E is the energy.
E h
p h parallel to the direction of propagation.
c c

From relativity, we know that

E m c2
p mV
m0
m
2
1V 2
c
E
p mV 2 V
c
Equation 5.9
Minkowskis four dimensional space & time ( E & three comp. of p)
If the system is confined to a single particle so, E 2 p 2c 2 is invariant under changes of
ref. frame.
E 2 p 2c 2
E2 V2 2
E 4 V c E 1 2
2 2 2
c
c
m 2c 4 1 V 2
2
c
m02 c 41 V 2 m2 c 4
0
1 V 2 c2

c2
Equation 5.10

Photon is a quantity of energy. If we consider photon as a particle, then the energy

E m c 2 , with this infinite energy E .
So the only way of reconciling a speed V c with a finite energy is to assume rest mass
m0 0 .
So, E 2 p 2c 2 0 ; pE
c
Rest energy m0 c 0 for photon
2

So, K .E. E m0 c 2 E so for photon all energy is K.E.

Page-5

Elastic Collisions of Photons Compton Effect

The X-ray of wavelength 0 was incident on a target. With a crystal diffractometer, the
wavelengths of the scattered X-ray were measured by changing the angle as shown in
Figure 5.3.

Scatter
(electron)

Scattering
angle ()
X-Ray
source
Scattered
Incident beam
beam Collimating
system
Crystal
(wavelength
selector)

Detector
Figure 5.3

Scattered radiation is composed by two lines:

(i) a component at the incident wavelength 0 , called the Thomson
component. Scattered radiation has the same frequency as the
incident radiation.
(ii) a component of different wavelength 0 .

Conclusion from experiment

(i) 0 is always positive.
(ii) is an increasing function of .
(iii) is independent of and the composition of the material used for
scattering.
Page-6

Explanation

Elastic scattering between photons and free electrons (weakly bound to atoms can be
considered as free electrons) i.e. binding energy h 0 .
Elastic Scattering K.E. is conserved
X

Electron

O Z

Photon
h 0
Momentum =
c
Energy E h 0

Figure 5.4

We have taken into account the fact that p & E are related by relativistic invariance
E 2 p 2c2 m02 c4 .
Before Collision After Collision
Energy h 0 h c h h c
Photon 0

Momentum h 0 h h h
c 0 along Oz c
Energy m0 c 2 m c2
Electron p2c2 m02 c4
Momentum = Zero p making an angle with OZ
Page-7

Conservation of energy and momentum

Energy h 0 m0 c 2 h p2c2 m02 c4
Equation 5.11
h 0 h
along OZ cos p cos
Momentum c c
h
along OX 0 sin p sin
c

h 0 h
p cos cos
c c
h
0 cos
c
h
p sin sin
c
Equation 5.12

Electron

Z

Photon
h 0
Momentum =
c
Energy E h 0

Figure 5.5
Page-8
h2 h2
p 2
2 0 cos
2
2
2 cos 2
c c

h2
c 2 02 2 cos2 2 0 cos 2 sin 2

c
02 2 2 0 cos

h2
2

p c h 2 02 2 2 0 cos
2 2

Equation 5.13

2
From 1st equation p 2c 2 h 0 m0 c 2 m02 c 4

Equation 5.14

Equating Equation 5.13 & Equation 5.14,

2
h 2 02 2 2 0 cos h 0 m0 c 2 m02 c 4

h 2 0 m02 c 4 2h 0 m0 c 2 m02 c 4
2

h 2 02 h 2 2 2h 2 0 cos h 2 02 h 2 2 2h 2 0 2h 0 m0 c 2
2h 0 m0 c 2 2h 2 1 cos 0

2h 2
0 1 cos 0
2h m0 c 2
0 h
1 cos where m0 9.1 1031 Kg
0 0 m0 c 2
1 1 h
1 cos
0 m0 c 2
h
0 1 cos
m0 c


0 ; 0
h 2h
1 cos ;
m0 c m0 c
h
90 ; Compton wavelength
o
m0 c
Page-9
So, we get
h
0 1 cos
m0 c
Equation 5.15

(i) is positive.
(ii) independent of 0 .
(iii) depends on only.

1 pm
Hard X-ray
h 1 MeV

Energy of Compton Wavelength,

hc hc
m0 c 2 rest mass of the electron
h
m0 c
h 0 m0 c2 0 0 photons gives up very little energy.
h 0 m0 c2 0 0 photons gives up most of its energy.

Equation 5.16
 Page-10

Absorption of Photons (Inelastic Collision)

Let us define h 12 is the energy difference between the two states of an atom with energy
E2 and E1 ( E2 E1 ground state) E2 E1 h12 .
If there is a collision between an atom and a photon as shown in Figure 5.6 and after the
collision they form one particle, then the initial momentum of the incident must be
preserved by the final single particle (momentum conservation). Or we can say that after
collision the atom must possess some kinetic energy that it did not have previously.
This kinetic energy can have been taken from the energy of the incident photon.
This is possible only when h h 12 . We have to determine the relationship between
and 12 .
Atom

E2

Photon Atom - photon

Momentum = h system
c
Energy E h E1

Figure 5.6

Considering the properties of the relativistic particles:

Before Collision After Collision
Energy h
Photon Momentum h
c
E1 m1 e2 W P c
2 2
m22e4
m1 rest mass
Atom Energy
Momentum Zero P
E2 E1 h 12
where, m2
c2 c2
Page-11

From the conservation of energy

h E1 P c 2 2
m22e4
Equation 5.17

Momentum p h same as photon

c
Equation 5.18

E1 h12 m2c 2

From Equation 5.17,

E1 h p 2 c 2 m22c 4
2

E12 2 E1h h 2 2 p 2 c 2 E1 h 12
2

h 2 2 2
2 c E12 2 E1h 12 h 2 122
c
2h 12 E1 h 12
2 2
h 12
1 12 1
2 E1h 2 E1h 12 2 E1
h 12
12 1 2
2m1c
Equation 5.19
Page-12

So the incident photon frequency must be greater than the theoretical frequency of the
E E1
spectral lines 2 12 .
h
h 12 1 to 10 eV
2 1010
m1c 10 to 100 GeV

Comment:
h 12
(i) In the optical transitions h 12 m1c 2 typically, 2
~ 1010 which means the shift
m1c

will be very small compared to other broadening 106 cannot be observed. Resonant
condition is applicable i.e. E2 E1 h .
(ii) When h 12 is not very small compared to m1c 2 , the shift is appreciable.
Page-13

Emission of Photons:
Before Collision After Collision
Energy ~ h
Photon Momentum ~ h along Oz
c
Energy E2 W P c
2 2
m12c 4
Atom 0 p along Oz
Momentum E2 E E h
m2 m1 1 2 2 2 12
c2 c c

h
p 0 p 2 c 2 h 2 2
c
E2 W h
E2 h W
E22 h 2 2 2h E2 p 2 c 2 m12 c 4
h 2 2 m12 c 4
E22 2h E2 m12 c 4 E2 h 12
2

E22 2h E2 E22 h 2 122 2 E2 h 12

2h E2 2 E2 h 12 h 2 122
2 E2 h 12 h 2 122 h 2
12 12
2hE2 2 E2 h 2 E2
h 12
12 1 2
2m2 c
Equation 5.20
Page-14

Application to rays
rays Very High Energy
1019 to 1022 Hz
Nuclear transitions also very high frequency
h 12 m1c 2
Emission of ray photon is interpreted as the radiative transition between two energy
states of the nucleus (analogous to optical transition).
Frequency Displacement Line Width

Figure 5.7

Resonance absorption and emission is not possible as in the case of optical transition. By
increasing temperature it is possible. So to get the information about the nucleus from
this is difficult.
What Mssbaur discovered that by cooling the source and the absorber the intensity
absorption increased.
It means that, below a certain temperature emitted or absorbing nucleus is embedded in a
crystalline lattice and it is the white crystal which recoils.
Mass of Crystal Mass of Nucleus ~ 6 1023
The velocity of recoil is negligible.
No recoil energy loss extremely sharp lines (natural width) could be obtained.
Debye Waller Factor
E 3 2T 2
f exp 0
K 2
where, T Abs. Temp.
K Boltzmann ' s Const.
Degree Temp. of the Solid
Equation 5.21

There are three main hyperfine interactions that can be observed by Mssbauer
spectroscopy. They are (i) Isomer Shift, (ii) Quadrupole Splitting and (iii) Nuclear
Zeeman Splitting.

For example :

The isomer shift of Fe57 3 1 14.4 KeV in Ferricinium bromide is 2 108 eV .
2 2

h 0 h 2 108 eV
h 0 14.4 103 eV
c

0 c v
v v

0 c v c
2 108
v c 3 1010
0 14.4 103
6 102
0.04 cm
14.4 10 3 s

Mssbaur Spectrum of Ferricinium bromide

Figure 5.8
Recap

In this lecture, we came to know that the classical physics has limitation to describe the
several experimental observations such as Compton effect and absorption and emission
of light by atoms.

We understood the different kinds of treatment for describing the light-matter

interactions: both the classical phenomenon and then the quantum mechanical
descriptions.
We also come to know the recoil energy required when both light and matter interact.
Based on this, we came to know the application of this recoil energy in Mossbaur
spectroscopy.