Diffractive deeply virtual Compton scattering (DiDVCS) is the process ${\mathrm{<ruby><rb>\gamma </rb><rt>がんま</rt></ruby>}}^{*}(-Q^2)+N\to {\mathrm{<ruby><rb>\rho </rb><rt>ろー</rt></ruby>}}^0+{\mathrm{<ruby><rb>\gamma </rb><rt>がんま</rt></ruby>}}^{*}(Q^{\prime 2})+N^{\prime }$, where N is a nucleon or light nucleus, in the kinematical regime of large rapidity gap between the ${\mathrm{<ruby><rb>\rho </rb><rt>ろー</rt></ruby>}}^0$ and the final photon-nucleus system, and in the generalized Bjorken regime where both photon virtualities $Q^2$ and $Q^{\prime 2}$ are large. We show that this process has the unique virtue of combining the large diffractive cross sections at high energy with the tomographic ability of deeply virtual Compton scattering to scrutinize the quark and gluon content of nucleons and light nuclei. Its study at an electron-ion collider will enlighten the internal structure of hadrons.

• Received 20 December 2019
• Accepted 19 March 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.101.074005

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Published by the American Physical Society