6533b85ffe1ef96bd12c0ffa

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Determination of the neutron electric form factor from the reaction 3 He(e,e'n) at medium momentum transfer

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The electric form factor of the neutron GEn has been determined in double polarized exclusive 3He(e,e'n) scattering in quasi–elastic kinematics by measuring asymmetries A⊥, A∥ of the cross section with respect to helicity reversal of the electron, with the nuclear spin being oriented perpendicular to the momentum transfer q in case of A⊥ and parallel in case of A∥. The experiment was performed at the 855 MeV c. w. microtron MAMI at Mainz. The degree of polarization of the electron beam and of the gaseous 3He target were each about 50%. Scattered electrons and neutrons were detected in coincidence by detector arrays covering large solid angles. Quasi–elastic scattering events were reconstructed from the measured electron scattering angles ϑe, φe and the neutron momentum vector pn′ in the plane wave impulse approximation. We obtain the result (0.27 < Q2c2/GeV2 < 0.5)= 0.0334 ± 0.0033stat± 0.0028syst which is averaged over the indicated range of Q2, the squared momentum transfer. This GEn value is significantly smaller than measured from the D(e,e'n) reaction under similar kinematical conditions. To what extent final state interactions in 3He quench the GEn result is subject of calculations currently in progress elsewhere.