The first measurements of the differential cross section for the d(gam
ma,p)n reaction up to 4.0 GeV were performed at the Continuous Electro
n Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Thomas Jefferson Laboratory. We
report the cross sections at the proton center-of-mass angles of 36 d
egrees, 52 degrees, 69 degrees, and 89 degrees. These results are in r
easonable agreement with previous measurements at lower energy. The 89
degrees and 69 degrees data show constituent-counting-rule behavior u
p to 4.0 GeV photon energy. The 52 degrees and 36 degrees data disagre
e with the counting-rule behavior. The quantum chromodynamics; (QCD) m
odel of nuclear reactions involving reduced amplitudes disagrees with
the present data. [S0031-9007(98)07676-5].