Electron Scattering without Spin Sums

Abstract

Using the spacetime algebra formulation of the Dirac equation, we demonstrate how to perform cross-section calculations following a method suggested by Hestenes (1982). Instead of an S-matrix, we use an operator that rotates the initial states into the scattered states. By allowing the scattering operator to become a function of the initial spin, we can neatly handle spin-dependent calculations. When the operator is independent of spin, we can provide manifestly spin-independent results. We use neither spin basis nor spin sums, instead handling the spin orientation directly. As examples, we perform spin-dependent calculations in Coulomb scattering to second order, and briefly consider more complicated calculations in QED.