Extraction of $\omega$n, $\omega$p and $\phi$N scattering lengths from $\omega$ and $\phi$ differential photoproduction cross sections on the deuterium target

TL;DR

This paper extracts scattering lengths for omega and phi mesons with nucleons from near-threshold photoproduction data on deuterium, providing new quantitative insights into meson-nucleon interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to determine omega and phi meson-nucleon scattering lengths from differential cross-section data at near-threshold energies.

Findings

Omega-neutron and omega-proton scattering lengths measured at threshold and t=0.

Phi-nucleon scattering length determined from deuterium photoproduction data.

Results agree with existing experimental and theoretical predictions.

Abstract

In this study, we try to extract $\omega n$, $\omega p$ and $\phi$N scattering lengths from the differential cross-section data of near-threshold $\omega$ and $\phi$ photoproductions not only to the energy at threshold t$_{thr}$, but also in t to t = 0. The incoherent data of $\omega$ and $\phi$ photoproductions on deuterium target for scattering length extractions are provided by CBELSA/TAPS Collaboration and LEPS Collaboration respectively, where the deuteron is usually approximated as a weakly bound state of a quasi-free neutron plus a quasi-free proton. Under the Vector Meson Doninance model and the assumption of energy independence of the differential cross-section, we obtained the $|\alpha_{\omega n^{*}}|$ and $|\alpha_{\omega p^{*}}|$ of loosely bound neutron and proton in the deuteron to be 0.709 $\pm$ 0.078 fm and 0.621 $\pm$ 0.022 fm respectively at threshold t$_{thr}$ (1.258 $\pm$ 0.130 fm and 1.056 $\pm$ 0.032 fm respectively in t to t = 0) for the first time by fitting the near-threshold data of $\gamma$d $\rightarrow$ $\omega$n(p) and $\gamma$d $\rightarrow$ $\omega$p(n). For a comparison study, we also extracted the scattering length $|\alpha_{\omega p}|$ of the free proton from the $\omega$ photoproduction on the hydrogen target by CBELSA/TAPS Collaboration. With the near-threshold and incoherent $\phi$ photoproduction data of $\gamma$d $\rightarrow$ $\phi$pn by LEPS Collaboration, we obtained scattering length $|\alpha_{\phi N}|$ of the bound nucleon inside the deuteron to be 0.109 $\pm$ 0.008 fm at threshold t$_{thr}$ and 0.276 $\pm$ 0.010 fm in t to t = 0, respectively. The obtained $|\alpha_{\omega p}|$ and $|\alpha_{\phi N}|$ are basically in agreement with the experimental indications and the theoretical predictions within the current uncertainties.