First Measurement of Polarisation Transfer Cx′n in Deuteron Photodisintegration

A first measurement of the polarisation transfer from a circularly-polarised photon to the final state neutron (Cx′n) in deuterium photodisintegration has been carried out. This quantity is determined over the photon energy range 370 – 700 MeV and for neutron centre-of-mass breakup angles ∼45−120∘. The polarisation of the final state neutrons was determined by an ancillary large-acceptance nucleon polarimeter, surrounding a cryogenic liquid deuterium target within the Crystal Ball detector at MAMI. The polarimeter characterised (n,p) charge exchange of the ejected neutrons to determine their polarisation. The new Cx′n data are also compared to a theoretical model based on nucleonic and nucleon resonance degrees of freedom constrained by the current world-database of deuterium photodisintegration measurements. Structures in Cx′n observed in the region of the d⁎(2380) could not be explained by conventional models of deuteron photodisintegration.