We present the history of the research program on the scattering of X rays by the matter pursued by the American physicist Arthur H. Compton (1892-1962). This work led him to suggest what we call nowadays Compton Effect, a work which granted him the 1927 Physics Nobel Prize. We pay particular attention to the semi-classical models initially used by him and to the context of the influences he received while moving to suggest a quantum approach to the subject.
history of physics; Arthur Compton; X-rays; quantum theory
