Measurement of the Target-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetry in Deep-Inelastic Scattering from the Reaction 3He(e,e)X^{3}\mathrm{He}^{\uparrow}(e,e')X

Nov 1, 2013
6 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.Lett. 113 (2014) 2, 022502
  • Published: Jul 11, 2014
e-Print:
Report number:
  • JLAB-PHY-13-1802

Citations per year

2014201720202023202502468
Abstract: (APS)

We report the first measurement of the target-normal single-spin asymmetry in deep-inelastic scattering from the inclusive reaction He3(e,e)X on a polarized He3 gas target. Assuming time-reversal invariance, this asymmetry is strictly zero in the Born approximation but can be nonzero if two-photon-exchange contributions are included. The experiment, conducted at Jefferson Lab using a 5.89 GeV electron beam, covers a range of 1.7<W<2.9  GeV, 1.0<Q2<4.0  GeV2 and 0.16<x<0.65. Neutron asymmetries were extracted using the effective nucleon polarization and measured proton-to-He3 cross-section ratios. The measured neutron asymmetries are negative with an average value of (-1.09±0.38)×10-2 for invariant mass W>2  GeV, which is nonzero at the 2.89σ level. Our measured asymmetry agrees both in sign and magnitude with a two-photon-exchange model prediction that uses input from the Sivers transverse momentum distribution obtained from semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering.

  • 25.30.Dh
  • 14.20.Dh
  • 24.70.+s
  • 29.25.Pj
  • electron nucleus: deep inelastic scattering
  • helium: nuclide
  • polarized target
  • spin: asymmetry
  • nucleon: polarization
  • asymmetry