Differential cross sections and vector analyzing powers have been measured for the breakup reaction 4 He(df po i, poi)n at E d =18 MeV in a kinematically complete coincidence experiment. The analysis in the framework of the Faddeev theory yields satisfactory agreement between theory and experiment even for the polarization observables. PACS numbers: 24.70.+ S, 25.10.+ S, 25.40.JtThe d-a system is one of the few systems that can be treated as a three-body system in the framework of the Faddeev theory. Three-body calculations of the d-a elastic scattering cross sections have been done successfully by Shanley, 1 Charnomordic, Fayard, and Lamot, 2 and Koike, 3 who also applied his theory to the deuteron breakup induced by a particles. 4 Quite recently, this theory has been applied with good success to a kinematically incomplete polarization experiment at 2£ d = 15 MeV. 5 Since the agreement between theory and experiment is good for these experiments, a kinematically complete polarization experiment seems to be of appreciable interest as a test of refined three-body calculations, as it is expected to provide information on the two-body interaction and the reaction mechanism in a more sensitive way.In this Letter we report on the first coincidencetype experiment with vector-polarized deuterons of the dp! + a -p + a +n reaction. The use of a vector-polarized deuteron beam allows a determination of the differential cross sections do/ dSd£2 3 d£l 4 and of analyzing powers A(S, 0 3 , (3) + a(4) +w(5), the polarization of the intermediate state 5 He(g.s.) produced in the first step of the reaction can be determined by measuring an angular correlation between particles 3 and 46.7 ^n nonco pianar geometry. When a polarized beam is used certain polarization transfer coefficients of the first reaction step can be obtained and compared to a theoretical model of this reaction leading to particle unstable states. Results of this aspect of the present experiment will not be discussed here but are presented elsewhere. 8 The experimental setup consisted of an Ortec 2800 scattering chamber with a 4 He gas target cell. An arrangement of one detector on one side of the beam and up to six detectors on the other side, centered circularly around the 5 He recoil axis and inside the decay cone of this recoil nucleus, allowed the measurement of four simultaneous a-p coincidences. 7 The condition of observing the sequential decay of [ 5 He(g.s.)] pol , the energy loss of the a particles in the target exit foils, and separation of competing reactions led to a choice of angles 0 3 (lab) = 52°, ^3(lab) =0°, 0rt(lab) = 32.2°, <^(lab) = 180°. The beam from the polarized ion source LASCO 9 was accelerated by the Super-FN-Tandem Van de Graa...