The production of leading neutrons, where the neutron carries a large fraction x_L of the incoming proton's longitudinal momentum, is studied in deep-inelastic positron-proton scattering at HERA. The data were taken with the H1 detector in the years 2006 and 2007 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 122 pb^{-1}. The semi-inclusive cross section is measured in the phase space defined by the photon virtuality 6 < Q^2 < 100 GeV^2, Bjorken scaling variable 1.5x10^{-4} < x < 3x10^{-2}, longitudinal momentum fraction 0.32 < x_L < 0.95 and neutron transverse momentum p_T < 0.2 GeV. The leading neutron structure function, F_2^{LN(3)}(Q^2,x,x_L), and the fraction of deep-inelastic scattering events containing a leading neutron are studied as a function of Q^2, x and x_L. Assuming that the pion exchange mechanism dominates leading neutron production, the data provide constraints on the shape of the pion structure function.
Differential cross section of leading neutron production.
The semi-inclusive leading neutron structure function for Q**2.
The semi-inclusive leading neutron structure function for Q**2.
Forum