Measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron for time-like momentum transfer

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurements of the neutron's electric and magnetic form factors in the time-like region, using electron-positron collisions, providing data comparable to space-like measurements and testing form factor models.

Contribution

First experimental determination of neutron form factors in the time-like region over a range of energies, expanding understanding of nucleon structure.

Findings

Electric and magnetic form factors measured with 12-18% uncertainty.

Form factor ratio close to unity, consistent with theoretical expectations.

Results comparable in accuracy to space-like region measurements.

Abstract

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the time-like (positive $q^2$) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction $e^+e^- \rightarrow \bar{n}n$ with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6 pb$^{-1}$ in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between $\sqrt{s} = 2.0 - 2.95$ GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at $\sqrt{s} = 2.3935$ GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable space-like (negative $q^2$) region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio $R_{\rm em}\equiv |G_E|/|G_M|$ is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on $|G_E|$ and $|G_M|$ to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the space-like region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.