First measurement of unpolarized semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering cross sections from a He 3 target

Abstract

© 2017 American Physical Society. The unpolarized semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering (SIDIS) differential cross sections in He3(e,e′π±)X have been measured for the first time in Jefferson Lab experiment E06-010 with a 5.9GeVe- beam on a He3 gas target. The experiment focuses on the valence quark region, covering a kinematic range 0.12<xbj<0.45,1<Q2<4(GeV/c)2,0.45<zh<0.65, and 0.05<Pt<0.55GeV/c. The extracted SIDIS differential cross sections of π± production are compared with existing phenomenological models while the He3 nucleus approximated as two protons and one neutron in a plane-wave picture, in multidimensional bins. Within the experimental uncertainties, the azimuthal modulations of the cross sections are found to be consistent with zero.