Eikonal scattering by complex potentials

A systematic study is made of the properties of the eikonal approximation and related methods for nonrelativistic scattering by complex, central potentials. Particular attention is devoted to the "all-angles" properties of the eikonal approximation, the eikonal Born series method, and the eikonal expansion of Wallace. Our discussion is illustrated by considering various interaction potentials in weak, intermediate, and strong coupling situations. A detailed application is made to the elastic scattering of neutrons by ${}_{}{}^{209}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{Bi}$ nuclei, at neutron energies of 50, 100, and 200 MeV.