Deep inelastic scattering from A =3 nuclei and the neutron structure function

Abstract

We present a comprehensive analysis of deep inelastic scattering from ³He and ³H, focusing in particular on the extraction of the free neutron structure function F₂n. Nuclear corrections are shown to cancel to within 1–2% for the isospin-weighted ratio of ³He to ³H structure functions, which leads to more than an order of magnitude improvement in the current uncertainty in the neutron to proton ratio ₂2n/F₂p at large x. Theoretical uncertainties originating from the nuclear wave function, including possible non-nucleonic components, are evaluated. Measurements of the ³He and ³H structure functions will, in addition, determine the magnitude of the EMC effect in all A<~3 nuclei.