Probing the parton densities of polarized photons at a linear e^+e^- collider

Abstract

The present theoretical status of spin-dependent parton densities Delta f^{\gamma}(x,Q^2) of circularly polarized photons is briefly reviewed. It is then demonstrated that measurements of the deep-inelastic spin asymmetry A_1^{\gamma}\simeq g_1^{\gamma}/F_1^{\gamma} and of di-jet rapidity distributions at a future linear e^+e^- collider appear to be particularly suited for a determination the spin-dependent photonic quark and gluon densities, respectively. Special emphasis is devoted to a comparison of the different sources of polarized photons at a linear collider: the equivalent photon approximation and backscattered laser (Compton) photons. It is shown that backscattered laser photons are highly favorable, even indispensable, for decent measurements of the Delta f^{\gamma}(x,Q^2).