Photoproduction ofϕMesons from Carbon at 1800 MeV

Abstract

We have measured the cross section for photoproduction of $\ensuremath{\phi}$ mesons at 0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} by 1800-MeV photons. Approximately 165 $\ensuremath{\phi}'\mathrm{s}$ were observed, yielding a cross section $\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{\mathrm{dt}}=(0.75\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.17)$ \ensuremath{\mu}b/Ge${\mathrm{V}}^{2}$/nucleon for $|t|=0.175$ Ge${\mathrm{V}}^{2}$. This value is consistent with a vector-dominance prediction using ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ photoproduction data, SU(3) coupling constants, and a quark-model prediction for the $\ensuremath{\rho}$- and $\ensuremath{\phi}$-nucleon cross sections.