Vector meson photoproduction at high-t and comparison to HERA data

We explore QCD calculations for the process gammap --> VX where V is a vector meson, in the region s much greater than -t and -t much greater than Lambda(QCD)(2). We compare our calculations for the J/psi, phi and rho mesons with data from the ZEUS Collaboration at HERA and demonstrate that the BFKL approach is consistent with the data even for light mesons, whereas the two-gluon exchange approach is inadequate. We also predict the differential cross-sections for the Y and omega for which no data are currently available.