Neutron structure function and A=3 mirror nuclei

We investigate deep inelastic scattering from He-3 and H-3 within a conventional convolution treatment of binding and Fermi motion effects. Using realistic Faddeev wave functions together with a nucleon spectral function, we demonstrate that the free neutron structure function can be extracted in deep-inelastic scattering from A = 3 mirror nuclei, with nuclear effects canceling to within 2% for x less than or similar to 0.85. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.