Radiative corrections to the atomic photoeffect

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · Phys. Rev., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.15.1537· OSTI ID:7112387

McEnnan, J; Gavrila, M

The radiative corrections to the photoeffect are evaluated for the K-shell of hydrogenlike atoms to lowest order in the radiation field. The corrective matrix element is first discussed within the framework of the bound-state interaction (Furry) picture. We then employ the relativistic Born approximation for the Coulomb Dirac propagator and the final continuum wave function of the electron to obtain an expression which is correct to lowest order in ..cap alpha..Z, provided ..cap alpha..Z/..beta.. very-much-less-than 1, where ..beta.. is the velocity of the ejected electron. The renormalization program is carried out completely, and the lowest-order radiative corrections are given explicitly in terms of the familiar first-order invariant functions of QED. The matrix element which results is further analyzed in terms of invariant amplitudes which are expressed as sums of Feynman parameter integrals. Finally, we evaluate the differential cross section assuming the polarizations of the electron and photon are not observed. Infrared divergences are eliminated from this cross section by allowing for the possibility that an unobserved soft photon is emitted along with the photoelectron. Although in general a numerical evaluation is necessary, analytic expressions are given for the low- and high-energy limits of our final expression for the radiative corrections to the photoeffect. We find that, while the corrections are small at low energy, for incident photons in the range 1--10 MeV and for electrons emitted near the forward direction (finite momentum transfer), the radiative corrections tend to reduce the photoeffect differential cross section by 1.0 to 7.0%.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260
• OSTI ID: 7112387
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev., A; (United States) Vol. 15:4; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640305* -- Atomic
Molecular & Chemical Physics-- Atomic & Molecular Theory-- (-1987)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOMS
CORRECTIONS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
FIELD THEORIES
FLUIDS
HYDROGEN
IONIZATION
ISOELECTRONIC ATOMS
K SHELL
NONMETALS
PHOTOIONIZATION
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
RADIATIVE CORRECTIONS