Relativistic High-Energy Approximation for Elastic Scattering of Dirac Particles

Abstract

A high-energy approximation is described for predicting the elastic scattering of Dirac particles by a scalar potential. The formal solution is then applied to the specific problem of electron and positron scattering from nuclei. The predicted cross sections turn out to be in close agreement with those of partial-wave analysis, even for heavy nuclei and at large scattering angles, where the Born approximation is entirely inadequate.