Spin-dependent electromagnetic response of few-body systems.

We report on the experimental program with polarized electrons and polarized few-body systems at the internal target facility of the NIKHEF electron storage ring. With a polarized deuterium internal target, absolute measurements of unprecedented accuracy have been performed for the analyzing powers T20 and T22 in elastic electron-deuteron scattering at transferred four-momenta 1.1 < Q < 2.8 fm−1. Results for a first measurement of the tensor analyzing power in quasi-elastic scattering are also presented. These data provide new constraints for descriptions of the deuteron spin structure and for reaction mechanism effects. Quasi-elastic electron scattering from polarized 3He may provide precise information on the S′ and the D-wave parts of the 3He ground-state wave function, the neutron form factors, and the role of spin-dependent reaction mechanism effects. We have started an experimental program at NIKHEF where polarized 3He and polarized electrons are used, in combination with large acceptance electron and hadron detectors. Data were taken for the transverse (Ay0) and longitudinal (A′z) asymmetries at Q ⋍ 2 fm−1. We outline the performance of the target and detectors.