Neutron Structure Using a Polarized 3He Target: Measurement of the electric form factor of the neutron at high momentum transfer

Aiden Kelleher (William and Mary)

The electromagnetic structure of protons and neutrons are described by four form factors. The proton's electric and magnetic form factors and the neutron's magnetic form factor are well known over a large range of momentum transfer. Knowledge of the neutron's electric form factor is made difficult by the overall neutral electric charge, as well as the lack of free neutron targets of sufficient luminosity. A recent experiment at Jefferson Lab has doubled the measured range of momentum transfer for determination of the neutron electric form factor. As in prior experiments, we employed a polarized 3He target as a practical approximation to a free neutron target. Preliminary results will be discussed with a particular emphasis on how this measurement constrains low momentum transfer fits to the world's data. In addition, the improvement in the polarized 3He target obtained from hybrid spin exchange optical pumping will be presented.

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