Neutron Form Factors from Inelastic Electron-Deuteron Scattering

Abstract

The differential cross section for quasielastic scattering of electrons from neutrons initially bound in deuterium has been measured at 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} laboratory angle for values of the four-momentum transfer squared equal to 11, 15, 20, 25, and 35 ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The yield of momentum analyzed scattered electrons was measured using C${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, C${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, and C targets. The Durand theory for the effects of deuteron binding is used to extract experimental values for the ratio of the electron-neutron and electron-proton differential cross sections. Over most of the range of the experiment $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{n}}{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{p}}$ is between 0.3 and 0.5. The neutron form factors obtained are consistent with previous measurements at lower momentum transfer. $|{G}_{\mathrm{En}}|$ remains less than 0.3 and $|{G}_{\mathrm{Mn}}|$ continues its decrease towards zero with increasing momentum transfer ($|{G}_{\mathrm{Mn}}|<0.2$ at ${q}^{2}=35$ ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$).