Recoil detection with a polarized He-3 target

Abstract 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 3 He 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 He → ( e → , e ′ 3 He )π 0 and 3 He → ( e → , e ′ 3 H )π + is shown along with the ability of the detector to unambiguously separate the two- and three-body breakup channels of the reaction 3 He → ( e → , e ′p) .