Analysis of factorization in (e,e'p) reactions: A survey of the relativistic plane wave impulse approximation

The issue of factorization within the context of coincidence quasi-elastic electron scattering is reviewed. Using a relativistic formalism for the entire reaction mechanism and restricting ourselves to the case of plane waves for the outgoing proton, we discuss the meaning of factorization in the cross section and the role of the small components of the bound nucleon wave function.