Angular distributions for photon scattering from ${}_{}{}^{12}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{C}$ and ${}_{}{}^4{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{He}$ have been measured using continuous wave bremsstrahlung from the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory pulse stretcher ring. Data for carbon were taken at 158.8, 195.2, 197.2, 247.2, and 290.2 MeV end-point energies, and for helium were taken at an end-point energy of 158.8 MeV. A large NaI(Tl) gamma ray spectrometer with 1.7% resolution was used to detect the scattered photons at laboratory scattering angles ranging from 20° to 150°. The excellent energy resolution of the NaI detector allowed a separation of elastic from inelastic photon scattering for the first time at these energies. The angular distributions for elastic scattering are in only fair agreement with delta-hole theory and theory based on the optical theorem at forward angles, and completely disagree with theory at backward angles. Measured cross sections for inelastic scattering leading to the 4.43 MeV state in carbon are small compared to the elastic scattering at forward angles, but are dominant at backward angles. This experiment is the first to separate elastic from inelastic photon scattering at these energies.

• Received 18 April 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.52.755