Electron Scattering from the Deuteron and the Neutron-Proton Potential

Abstract

Electron scattering from the deuteron has been investigated experimentally at higher energies and larger scattering angles than before. Calculations have been made also for the scattering expected from deuterons with repulsive-core and with Yukawa-type neutron-proton potentials. As before, it is found necessary to introduce a proton size into the deuteron (or to modify the Coulomb interaction) in order to obtain agreement between the experimental results and the scattering calculations. Using the proton size determined by electron-proton scattering experiments, a comparison is made between the various calculated curves and the experimental data. It is found to be impossible to rule out either the repulsive-core or the Yukawa potentials.