Measurements of the Electric and Magnetic Form Factors of the Neutron for Timelike Momentum Transfer

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Abstract

We present the first measurements of the electric and magnetic form factors of the neutron in the timelike (positive q2) region as function of four-momentum transfer. We explored the differential cross sections of the reaction e+e-→n¯n with data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII accelerator, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 354.6 pb-1 in total at twelve center-of-mass energies between s=2.0-2.95 GeV. A relative uncertainty of 18% and 12% for the electric and magnetic form factors, respectively, is achieved at s=2.3935 GeV. Our results are comparable in accuracy to those from electron scattering in the comparable spacelike region of four-momentum transfer. The electromagnetic form factor ratio Rem|GE|/|GM| is within the uncertainties close to unity. We compare our result on |GE| and |GM| to recent model predictions, and the measurements in the spacelike region to test the analyticity of electromagnetic form factors.
Original languageEnglish
Article number151905
Number of pages9
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume130
Issue number15
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14-Apr-2023

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