Considerations on rescattering effects for threshold photo- and electro-production of $\pi^0$ on deuteron

Abstract

We show that for the S-state $\pi^0$-production in processes $\gamma+d\to d+\pi^0$ and $e^-+d\to e^-+d+\pi^0$ the rescattering effects due to the transition: $ \gamma+d\to p+p+\pi^-$ (or $n+n+\pi^+)\to d+\pi^0$ are cancelled out due to the Pauli principle. The large values for these effects predicted in the past may result from the fact that the spin structure of the corresponding matrix element and the necessary antisymmetrization induced by the presence of identical protons (or neutrons) in the intermediate state was not taken into account accurately. One of the important consequences of these considerations is that $\pi^0$ photo- and electro-production on deuteron near threshold can bring direct information about elementary neutron amplitudes.