nLab Compton wavelength

Definition

The Compton wavelength is a physical unit that governs the dispersion relation/energy-momentum relation of massive fields.

For a particle/field of mass $m$, its Compton wavelength is the length

$$\ell_m \coloneqq \frac{2\pi \hbar}{m c}$$

where $c$ denotes the speed of light and $2\pi\hbar$ denotes Planck's constant. Correspondingly $\frac{\hbar}{m c}$ is also called the “reduced Compton wavelength”.

The inverse of the Compton wavelength appears as the mass term notably in the Klein-Gordon equation of the scalar field or the Dirac equation of the Dirac field.

Examples

• The Compton wavelength corresponding to the mass of the electron is about $\ell_{m_e} ~ 386$ fm.

• Another length scale parameterized by a mass $m$ is the Schwarzschild radius $r_m \coloneqq 2 m G/c^2$, where $G$ is the gravitational constant. Solving the equation

  $$\array{ & \ell_m &=& r_m \\ \Leftrightarrow & 2\pi\hbar / m c &=& 2 m G / c^2 }$$

  for $m$ yields the Planck mass

  $$m_{P} \coloneqq \tfrac{1}{\sqrt{\pi}} m_{\ell = r} = \sqrt{\frac{\hbar c}{G}} \,.$$

  The corresponding Compton wavelength $\ell_{m_{P}}$ is given by the Planck length $\ell_P$

  $$\ell_{P} \coloneqq \tfrac{1}{2\pi} \ell_{m_P} = \sqrt{ \frac{\hbar G}{c^3} } \,$$

Related concepts

• wavelength

fundamental scales (fundamental/natural physical units)

• speed of light$\,$ $c$

• Planck's constant$\,$ $\hbar$

• gravitational constant$\,$ $G_N = \kappa^2/8\pi$

• Planck scale

  • Planck length$\,$ $\ell_p = \sqrt{ \hbar G / c^3 }$

  • Planck mass$\,$ $m_p = \sqrt{\hbar c / G}$

• depending on a given mass $m$

  • Compton wavelength$\,$ $\lambda_m = \hbar / m c$

  • Schwarzschild radius$\,$ $2 m G / c^2$

  • depending also on a given charge $e$

    • Schwinger limit$\,$ $E_{crit} = m^2 c^3 / e \hbar$

• GUT scale

• string scale

  • string tension$\,$ $T = 1/(2\pi \alpha^\prime)$

  • string length scale$\,$ $\ell_s = \sqrt{\alpha'}$

  • string coupling constant$\,$ $g_s = e^\lambda$

References

• Wikipedia, Compton wavelength