https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2011-20053-0
Polarization correlations in electron-nucleus bremsstrahlung: the short-wavelength limit
1
Mathematics Institute, University of Munich, Theresienstrasse 39, 80333 Munich, Germany
2
Physics Institute, University of Heidelberg, Philosophenweg 12, 69126 Heidelberg, Germany
3
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Planckstrasse 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
a e-mail: surz@physi.uni-heidelberg.de
Received:
21
January
2011
Received in final form:
11
February
2011
Published online:
18
March
2011
The short-wavelength limit of the electron-nucleus bremsstrahlung is re-investigated with special emphasis on the polarization correlations between incoming electron and emitted photons. A theoretical analysis of these correlations is performed within both the rigorous relativistic Dirac theory and the Dirac-Sommerfeld-Maue (DSM) approach which approximates the initial electronic state by a Sommerfeld-Maue wavefunction. Based on detailed calculations carried out for bremsstrahlung of electrons scattered from medium- and high-Z bare ions, we argue that the DSM approach is complementary to the exact partial-wave theory at sufficiently high collision energies. For such high-relativistic domains predictions are made for the polarization correlations relating to linearly polarized radiation.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2011
