Polarization in the elastic scattering of 12 MeV deuterons by 12C, 56Fe and 58Ni

Angular distributions are presented of the vector polarization of 12 MeV deuterons elastically scattered by ¹²C, ⁵⁶Fe and ⁵⁸Ni for lab scattering angles 20–160°. The vector polarized deuteron beam from the Birmingham Radial Ridge Cyclotron polarized deuteron source was used, and the experimental method involved frequent “on-off” switching of the polarization at the source. Asymmetries were measured, using semiconductor detector telescopes in the scattering plane, against simultaneous readings of a carbon polarimeter whose analysing power was calibrated by means of the d-⁴He scattering. Large values of polarization were observed for ¹²C; the medium-weight nuclei ⁵⁶Fe and ⁵⁸Ni showed characteristic oscillatory patterns of lower amplitude. An attempt was made to explain the results in terms of optical-model predictions, and the calculations seem to favour a potential for deuterons approximating the sum of the proton and neutron optical model potentials.