Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4784-4855

Date Available

8-5-2022

Year of Publication

2022

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Physics and Astronomy

First Advisor

Prof. Michael Kovash

Abstract

A Compton scattering experiment using deuteron as target nuclei was carried out at the HIγS free electron laser facility at Durham, NC, with the goal of extracting the electromagnetic scalar polarizabilities of the neutron, αn and βn. A beam of 61~MeV gamma photons with a narrow energy spread was incident on a liquid deuterium target. The scattered gamma rays were detected at three scattering angles, 55o, 115o and 150o. Backward-scattered gamma rays were detected using two large-volume NaI spectrometers with energy resolution (σE/E) better than 2%. The combined effect of the quasi-monoenergetic beam and the excellent energy resolution of these detectors was adequate to resolve the inelastic contribution at two backward angles. Therefore, both elastic and inelastic cross sections were measured at backward angles. Forward-scattered gamma rays were detected using a medium-size NaI spectrometer. The total cross section was measured at 55o.

Because the backward angle cross sections are more sensitive to the difference of the electromagnetic polarizabilities, and the sum of the polarizabilities can be obtained using the well-known Baldin Sum Rule, backward-angle cross sections alone are sufficient for an accurate measurement of the polarizabilities.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2022.281

Funding Information

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics, under Award Number DE-SC0016656

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