On the one loop γ(∗)→ qq¯ impact factor and the exclusive diffractive cross sections for the production of two or three jets

Abstract

We present the calculation of the impact factor for the γ(∗)→ qq¯ transition with one loop accuracy in arbitrary kinematics. The calculation was done within Balitsky’s high energy operator expansion. Together with our previous result for the γ(∗)→ qq¯ g Born impact factor it allows one to derive cross sections for 2- (one loop) and 3-jet (Born) difractive electroproduction. We write such cross sections for the 2 and 3 jet exclusive diffractive electroproduction off a proton in terms of hadronic matrix elements of Wilson lines. For the 2-jet cross section we demonstrate the cancellation of infrared, collinear and rapidity singularities. Our result can be directly exploited to describe the recently analyzed data on exclusive dijet production at HERA and used for the study of jet photoproduction in ultraperipheral proton or nuclear scattering.