Scattering Theory of Atoms and Molecules

Abstract

The quantum-mechanical description of collision processes between particles such as molecules, atoms, etc., can be approached in two basically equivalent ways if the forces are conservative. One is the time-dependent theory and the other is the time-independent theory. If the equations of motion involved are solved exactly, it does not matter which approach is taken to calculate transition probabilities, but since one approximation method or another must be employed in practice, one approach is more advantageous than the other for a given type of approximation.