Photoproduction of<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>φ</mml:mi><mml:mo>(</mml:mo><mml:mn>1020</mml:mn><mml:mo>)</mml:mo></mml:math>Mesons on the Proton at Large Momentum Transfer

The cross section for straight phi meson photoproduction on the proton has been measured for the first time up to a four-momentum transfer -t = 4 GeV2, using the CLAS detector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. At low four-momentum transfer, the differential cross section is well described by Pomeron exchange. At large four-momentum transfer, above -t = 1.8 GeV2, the data support a model where the Pomeron is resolved into its simplest component, two gluons, which may couple to any quark in the proton and in the straight phi.