Recoil detection with a polarized He-3 target

The ultra-thin gas targets used in storage ring internal target experiments allow low energy, heavy nuclei to emerge from the target region. A detector capable of analyzing these nuclei provides unique access to many nuclear reactions. We report here the first use of such a detector in conjunction with a polarized He-3 internal target and a polarized electron beam. The results of using the detector as a luminosity monitor and as a polarimeter to measure the product of beam and target polarizations are presented. The ability to study coherent pion production via the reactions 3 (H) over right arrow e((e) over right arrow,e'' He-3)pi(0) and 3 (H) over right arrow e((e) over right arrow,e'' H-3)pi(+) is shown along with the ability of the detector to unambiguously separate the two- and threebody breakup channels of the reaction 3 (H) over right arrow e((e) over right arrow,e'' p). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.