Incoherent pion electroproduction on the deuteron is studied from threshold up to the second resonance region with special emphasis on the influence of the final-state interaction, in particular on polarization observables. The elementary $\gamma N\to \pi N$ amplitude is taken from the MAID-2003 model. The final-state interaction is included by considering complete rescattering in the final $\mathit{NN}$ and $\pi N$ subsystems. Investigated in detail is their influence on the structure functions governing the semi-exclusive differential cross section, where besides the scattered electron only the produced pion is detected. For charged pion-production the effect of $\mathit{NN}$ rescattering is moderate whereas $\pi N$ rescattering is almost negligible, except very close to threshold. $\mathit{NN}$ rescattering appears much stronger in neutral pion production for which the primary mechanism is the elimination of a significant spurious coherent contribution in the impulse approximation. Sizeable effects are also found in some of the polarization structure functions for beam and/or target polarizations.

• Received 16 June 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.74.044001