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Evaluation of the Impact of Two-Photon Exchange for Semi-Inclusive Deep-Inelastic Electron-Nucleon Scattering

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This dissertation explores the contribution of two-photon exchange (TPE) to electron-nucleon scattering, focusing on its partonic-level effects and implications for transverse momentum-dependent distributions (TMDs). TPE introduces higher-order radiative corrections that influence key observables in precision electron-nucleon experiments. By incorporating both soft and hard-photon exchange processes, this study provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding TPE effects. A quark-diquark model of the nucleon structure is employed to systematically analyze the TPE contributions. It is demonstrated that the soft-photon exchange process remains model-independent, adhering to a low-energy theorem that ensures its universality. In contrast, the hard-photon exchange contribution is computed at the quark level, allowing for an estimation of its impact at large momentum transfer scales. These calculations reveal that TPE corrections modify the cross-section by a few percent, leading to measurable effects such as electron-positron asymmetries and altered azimuthal asymmetries in Semi-Inclusive Deep Inelastic Scattering (SIDIS). The results presented in this dissertation emphasize the necessity of accounting for TPE in high-precision measurements of electron-nucleon scattering. Given the increasing experimental sensitivity at facilities such as Jefferson Lab (JLab) and the upcoming Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), these findings provide crucial insights into the role of TPE in extracting fundamental nucleon structure information. Through a detailed partonic-level analysis, this work contributes to a broader effort to refine theoretical models and highlights the importance of TPE in precision measurements of electron-nucleon scattering.

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