Measurements of the electric form factor of the neutron up to Q 2=3.4 GeV2 using the reaction 3He→(e→,e′n) pp

The electric form factor of the neutron was determined from studies of the reaction 3He→(e→,e′n)pp in quasielastic kinematics in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. Longitudinally polarized electrons were scattered off a polarized target in which the nuclear polarization was oriented perpendicular to the momentum transfer. The scattered electrons were detected in a magnetic spectrometer in coincidence with neutrons that were registered in a large-solid-angle detector. More than doubling the Q2 range over which it is known, we find GEn=0.0236±0.0017(stat)±0.0026(syst), 0.0208±0.0024±0.0019, and 0.0147±0.0020±0.0014 for Q2=1.72, 2.48, and 3.41GeV2, respectively. © 2010 The American Physical Society.This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Science Research Council.Jefferson Science Associates, LLC, operates Jefferson Lab for the U.S. DOE under U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-060R23177.Peer Reviewe