Transverse-Momentum Subtraction for Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering
arXiv:2602.06364 · doi:10.1360/s11433-026-3121-1
Abstract
Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering provides unique access to the three-dimensional momentum and spin structure of the proton, enabling precise studies of parton dynamics and hadronization in QCD. We present a transverse-momentum subtraction approach applied to the detected hadron that enables efficient and precise calculation of higher-order QCD corrections to identified hadron production in Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Scattering. We demonstrate the success of the method through a next-to-next-to-leading order QCD calculation and provide fully differential phenomenological applications, which provide important ingredients for global analyses of fragmentation functions. Our method is applicable to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections for both unpolarized and polarized semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering.
published version in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy