Measurement of direct f0(980) photoproduction on the proton.

We report on the results of the first measurement of exclusive f{sub 0}(980) meson photoproduction on protons for E{sub {gamma}}=3.0-3.8 GeV and -t=0.4-1.0 GeV{sup 2}. Data were collected with the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The resonance was detected via its decay in the {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} channel by performing a partial wave analysis of the reaction {gamma}p{yields}p{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}. Clear evidence of the f{sub 0}(980) meson was found in the interference between P and S waves at M{sub {pi}{sup +}}{sub {pi}{sup -}}{approx}1 GeV. The S-wave differential cross section integrated in the mass range of the f{sub 0}(980) was found to be a factor of about 50 smaller than the cross section for the {rho} meson. This is the first time the f{sub 0}(980) meson has been measured in a photoproduction experiment.