Amplitude-Based Analysis of QED Radiative Corrections to Electroproduction of $\eta$-Mesons on Protons

Abstract

A formalism for radiative correction calculations in exclusive $\eta$ electroproduction on the proton is presented, extending the treatment developed for the pion channel. The EXCLURAD code is used in the radiative correction procedure with EtaMAID-2023 multipole amplitudes. The cross-section correction factor $\delta$ varies by up to ${\sim}\,30\%$ across the resonance region $W = 1.49$-$2.0$ GeV at $E_{\rm beam} = 6.535$ GeV, with a local maximum near $W \simeq 1.66$ GeV driven by the $S_{11}(1535)$ and $S_{11}(1650)$ resonances. The beam-spin asymmetry is suppressed by 15-25% at the same kinematics. Numerical results covering $Q^2 = 0.3$-$4.0$ GeV$^2$ and the full angular range are provided for kinematics relevant to CLAS12 experiments at Jefferson Lab.