The Treiman-Yang Criterion: Validating the Trojan Horse Method by experimentally probing the reaction mechanism

Proper selection of the quasi-free (QF) break-up channel in a three-body reaction is a key aspect for the applicability of the Trojan Horse Method (THM). The Treiman-Yang (TY) Criterion is a model-independent experimental test for the dominance of the QF mechanism, and hence constitutes one of the strongest validity tests of the THM. An experiment was performed at LNS to apply the test to the d(10B, 7Be α)n reaction. Here, the criterion is described and some preliminary data from the experiment are shown.