The cross section and decay angular distributions for the coherent \\phi meson photoproduction on the deuteron have been measured for the first time up to a squared four-momentum transfer t =(p_{\\gamma}-p_{\\phi})^2 =-2 GeV^2/c^2, using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The cross sections are compared with predictions from a re-scattering model. In a framework of vector meson dominance, the data are consistent with the total \\phi-N cross section \\sigma_{\\phi N} at about 10 mb. If vector meson dominance is violated, a larger \\sigma_{\\phi N} is possible by introducing larger t-slope for the \\phi N \\to \\phi N process than that for the \\gamma N \\to \\phi N process. The decay angular distributions of the \\phi are consistent with helicity conservation. |
