Scattering of Neutrons by Deuterons

Abstract

The elastic scattering of neutrons by deuterons is considered for energies small enough so that only the $l=0$ part of the incident wave is different from the corresponding part of a plane wave. The Breit-Feenberg Hamiltonian is used, assuming the same potential between all pairs of particles. Any possible polarization of the deuteron by the neutron is neglected, although the individual particles in the deuteron are taken into account by an approximate method. This method is capable of including exchange between the two neutrons. When the exchange term is included, the theory gives a cross section for thermal neutrons two to three times greater than observed; the cross section for 2.5 Mev neutrons is slightly greater than observed.