Photoproduction of the $\phi $(1020) Meson Near Threshold

The differential cross section for the photoproduction of the $\phi $(1020) near threshold (E$_{\gamma }$ = 1.57 GeV) is sensitive to production mechanisms other than diffraction. Moreover, at large momentum transfer, the production of $\phi $-mesons becomes a test of quark and gluon degrees of freedom. We have performed a measurement of $\phi $-meson photoproduction on the proton at The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility using a liquid hydrogen target and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). The energy of the tagged, bremsstrahlung photons ranged from $\phi $-threshold to 3.6 GeV, and the $\phi $(1020) was identified in the channels $\phi \to $K$^{+}$K$^{-}$ and $\phi \to $K$_{s}$K$_{l}$. Preliminary differential cross sections (d$\sigma $/dt) will be presented. An analysis of the energy dependence of the cross section at low and high momentum transfer will also be discussed.