Semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off the deuteron with production of a slow nucleon in recoil kinematics is studied in the virtual nucleon approximation, in which the final-state interaction (FSI) is calculated within generalized eikonal approximation. The cross section is derived in a factorized approach, with a factor describing the virtual photon interaction with the off-shell nucleon and a distorted spectral function accounting for the final-state interactions. One of the main goals of the study is to understand how much the general features of the diffractive high-energy soft rescattering accounts for the observed features of FSI in deep inelastic scattering (DIS). Comparison with the Jefferson Lab data shows good agreement in the covered range of kinematics. Most importantly, our calculation correctly reproduces the rise of the FSI in the forward direction of the slow nucleon production angle. By fitting our calculation to the data we extracted the $W$ and $Q^2$ dependencies of the total cross section and slope factor of the interaction of DIS products, $X$, off the spectator nucleon. This analysis shows the $\mathit{XN}$-scattering cross section rising with $W$ and decreasing with an increase of $Q^2$. Finally, our analysis points at a largely suppressed off-shell part of the rescattering amplitude.

• Received 22 February 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.84.014601