The most important parameters in the study of low-energy scattering are the s-wave and p-wave scattering lengths and the s-wave effective range. We solve the scattering problem and find two useful formulas for the scattering length and the effective range for any angular momentum, as long as the Wigner threshold law holds. Using that formalism, we obtain a set of useful formulas for the angular-momentum scattering parameters of four different model potentials: hard-sphere, soft-sphere, spherical well, and well-barrier potentials. The behavior of the scattering parameters close to Feshbach resonances is also analyzed. Our derivations can be useful as hands-on activities for learning scattering theory.

1.
P.
Roman
, “
Potential scattering
,” in
Advanced Quantum Theory
(
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company
,
Inc., Reading, Massachusetts
,
1965
), Chap. 3, pp.
143
199
.
2.
L. P.
Benofy
,
E. B. A. R.
Guardiola
, and
M.
de Llano
, “
Low-energy scattering parameters for van der Waals perturbation theory
,”
Phys. Rev. A
33
,
3749–3755
(
1986
).
3.
R. F.
Bishop
, “
Ground-state energy of a dilute Fermi gas
,”
Ann. Phys.
77
,
106–138
(
1973
).
4.
V.
Cikojević
,
L. V.
Markić
, and
J.
Boronat
, “
Finite-range effects in ultradilute quantum drops
,”
New J. Phys.
22
,
053045
(
2020
).
5.
R.
Bombín
,
V.
Cikojević
,
J.
Sánchez-Baena
, and
J.
Boronat
, “
Finite-range effects in the two-dimensional repulsive Fermi polaron
,”
Phys. Rev. A
103
,
L041302
(
2021
).
6.
H. A.
Bethe
, “
Theory of the effective range in nuclear scattering
,”
Phys. Rev.
76
,
38–50
(
1949
).
7.
L. B.
Madsen
, “
Effective range theory
,”
Am. J. Phys.
70
,
811–814
(
2002
).
8.
C.
Chin
,
R.
Grimm
,
P.
Julienne
, and
E.
Tiesinga
, “
Feshbach resonances in ultracold gases
,”
Rev. Mod. Phys.
82
,
1225–1286
(
2010
).
9.
K.
Huang
and
C. N.
Yang
, “
Quantum-mechanical many-body problem with hard-sphere interaction
,”
Phys. Rev.
105
,
767–775
(
1957
).
10.
R. G.
Newton
,
Scattering Theory of Waves and Particles
(
Dover Publications, Inc
.,
Mineola, New York
,
2002
).
11.
S. A.
Rakityansky
and
N.
Elander
, “
Generalized effective-range expansion
,”
J. Phys. A: Math. Theor.
42
,
225302
(
2009
).
12.
13.
C. J.
Pethick
and
H.
Smith
, “
Elastic scattering and Feshbach resonances
,”
Bose-Einstein Condensation in Dilute Gases
, 2nd ed. (
Cambridge U. P
.,
New York
,
2008
), Chap. 5.4.2, pp.
143
151
.
14.
Reference 14, “
Crossover: From BCS to BEC
,” Chap. 17.3, pp.
527
535
.
15.
L. M.
Jensen
,
H. M.
Nilsen
, and
G.
Watanabe
, “
BCS-BEC crossover in atomic Fermi gases with a narrow resonance
,”
Phys. Rev. A
74
,
043608
(
2006
).

Supplementary Material

AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.