  Finite size effects alter not only the energy levels of small systems, but
can also lead to new effective interactions within these systems. Here the
problem of low energy quantum scattering by a spherically symmetric short range
potential in the presence of a general cylindrical confinement is investigated.
A Green's function formalism is developed which accounts for the full 3D nature
of the scattering potential by incorporating all phase-shifts and their
couplings. This quasi-1D geometry gives rise to scattering resonances and
weakly localized states, whose binding energies and wavefunctions can be
systematically calculated. Possible applications include e.g. impurity
scattering in ballistic quasi-1D quantum wires in mesoscopic systems and in
atomic matter wave guides. In the particular case of parabolic confinement, the
present formalism can also be applied to pair collision processes such as
two-body interactions. Weakly bound pairs and quasi-molecules induced by the
confinement and having zero or higher orbital angular momentum can be
predicted, such as p- and d-wave pairings.
