Measurement of coherent ϕ-meson photoproduction from the deuteron at low energies

The cross section and decay angular distributions for the coherent ϕ-meson photoproduction on the deuteron have been measured for the first time up to a squared four-momentum transfer t=(pγ−pϕ)2=−2 GeV2/c2, using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The cross sections are compared with predictions from a rescattering model. In a framework of vector meson dominance, the data are consistent with the total ϕ-N cross section σϕN at about 10 mb. If vector meson dominance is violated, a larger σϕN is possible by introducing a larger t slope for the ϕN→ϕN process than that for the γN→ϕN process. The decay angular distributions of the ϕ are consistent with helicity conservation