Laser - Polarized HE-3 Target Used for a Precision Measurement of the Neutron Spin Structure

Abstract

This thesis describes a precision measurement of the deep inelastic neutron spin structure function g{sub 1}{sup n}(x). The main motivation for the experiment is a test of the Bjorken sum rule. Because of smaller statistical errors and broader kinematic coverage than in previous experiments, we are able to study in detail the behavior of the spin structure function g{sub 1}{sup n}(x) for low values of the Bjorken scaling variable x. We find that it has a strongly divergent behavior, in contradiction to the naive predictions of the Regge theory. This calls into question the methods commonly used for extrapolation of g{sub 1}{sup n}(x) to x = 0. The difference between the proton and the neutron spin structure functions is less divergent at low x, so a test of the Bjorken sum rule is possible. We confirm the sum rule with an accuracy of 8%. The experiment was performed at SLAC using a 50 GeV polarized electron beam and a polarized {sup 3}He target. In this thesis the polarized target is described in detail. We used the technique of Rb optical pumping and Rb-He spin exchange to polarize the {sup 3}He. Because of a novel mechanical design our target had themore » smallest dilution ever achieved for a high density gas target. Since this is a precision measurement, particular efforts were made to reduce the systematic errors due to the uncertainty in the target parameters. Most important parameters were measured by more than one method. We implemented novel techniques for measuring the thickness of the glass windows of the target, the {sup 3}He density, and the polarization. In particular, one of the methods for measuring the gas density relied on the broadening of the Rb optical absorption lines by collisions with {sup 3}He atoms. The calibration of this technique resulted in the most precise measurements of the pressure broadening parameters for {sup 3}He as well as several other gases, which are described in an Appendix. The polarization of the {sup 3}He was also measured by two methods, one relying on traditional NMR techniques and the other on the shift of the Rb Zeeman resonance frequency due to the {sup 3}He polarization. To calibrate the frequency shift polarimetry, we performed an accurate measurement of a Rb-{sup 3}He spin exchange parameter, significantly improving on previous results. A part of the thesis is devoted to the analysis of the high energy data. We present an algorithm for electron-pion discrimination based on the lateral shape of their shower in the electromagnetic calorimeter. The calculation of the radiative corrections to the deep inelastic scattering and, especially, their effect on the experimental errors is also discussed. The last chapter is devoted to the interpretation of our results in the framework of perturbative QCD. We present a physically intuitive description of the ambiguities arising in Next to Leading Order (NLO) analysis of the spin structure functions. Using such analysis we describe the implications of our data.« less