d(e,e'p) Studies of Exclusive Deuteron Electro-Disintegration

TL;DR

This study measured the d(e,e'p) cross section at various momentum transfers to analyze the reaction's dependence on missing momentum and recoil angle, providing insights into final state interactions.

Contribution

It offers new experimental data on deuteron electro-disintegration across different Q^2 values, confirming theoretical predictions about FSI contributions and validating specific wave function models.

Findings

Final state interactions peak around 70° recoil angle.

Reduced FSI at angles below 45°.

Data aligns with CD-Bonn potential calculations.

Abstract

The d(e,e'p) cross section was measured at momentum transfers $Q^2 = $ 0.8, 2.1 and 3.5 $(GeV/c)^2$ covering a wide range of proton kinematics at each $Q^2$ setting that made it possible to study this reaction as a function of missing momentum as well as a function of the neutron laboratory recoil angle $\theta_{nq}$. Missing momentum distributions were determined for fixed values of $\theta_{nq}$ up to missing momenta of 0.65 $GeV/c$. For the two larger momentum transfer settings, the characteristics of the experimental momentum distributions confirm the theoretical prediction that final state interactions (FSI) contribute maximally around a $\theta_{nq} \sim 70^\circ$, while for $\theta_{nq} < 45^\circ$ FSI are significantly reduced. The data at reduced FSI settings were best reproduced by calculations using the CD-Bonn potential wave functions.