Measurement of Coherent ɸ-Meson Photoproduction from the Deuteron at Low Energies

The cross section and decay angular distributions for the coherent ɸ-meson photoproduction on the deuteron have been measured for the first time up to a squared four-momentum transfer t = (pᵧ - pɸ)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 ɸ-N cross section σɸN at about 10 mb. If vector meson dominance is violated, a larger σɸN is possible by introducing a larger t slope for the ɸN → ɸN process than that for the γN → ɸN process. The decay angular distributions of the phi are consistent with helicity conservation