Compton Scattering is the inelastic scattering of a photon by a charged particle, usually an electron. It results in a decrease on energy (Increase on wavelength) of the photon called the compton effect.
Part of the energy of the photon is transferred to the recoiling electron
Compton explained and modeled the data by assuming a particle (photon) nature for light and applying conservation of energy and conservation of momentum to the collision between the photon and the electron. The scattered photon has lower energy and therefore a longer wavelength according to the Planck relationship.
Compton scattering is of prime importance to radiobiology, as it is the most probable interaction of gamma rays and high energy X-rays with atoms in living beings and is applied in radiation therapy.
In material physics, Compton scattering can be used to probe the wave function of the electrons in matter in the momentum representation.
Compton scattering is an important effect in gamma spectroscopy which gives rise to the Compton edge, as it is possible for the gamma rays to scatter out of the detectors used. Compton suppression is used to detect stray scatter gamma rays to counteract this effect.
Inverse Compton Scattering also exist,
Inverse Compton scattering involves the scattering of low energy photons to high energies by ultrarelativistic electrons so that the photons gain and the electrons lose energy. The process is called inverse because the electrons lose energy rather than the photons, the opposite of the standard Compton effect.
