Final-state interactions in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the deuteron

Abstract: We explore the role of final-state interactions (FSI) in inclusive deep-inelastic scattering from the deuteron. Relating the inclusive cross section to the deuteron forward virtual Compton scattering amplitude, a general formula for the FSI contribution is derived in the generalized eikonal approximation, utilizing the diffractive nature of the effective hadron-nucleon interaction. The calculation uses a factorized model with a basis of three resonances with mass $W<2$ GeV and a continuum contribution for larger $W$ as the relevant set of effective hadron states entering the final-state interaction amplitude. The results show sizeable on-shell FSI contributions for Bjorken $x \gtrsim 0.6$ and $Q^2 \lesssim 10$ GeV$^2$, increasing in magnitude for lower $Q^2$, but vanishing in the high-$Q^2$ limit due to phase space constraints. The off-shell rescattering contributes at $x \gtrsim 0.8$ and is taken as an uncertainty on the on-shell result.