We report the first measurement of the differential cross section on
$\phi$-meson photoproduction from deuterium near the production threshold for a
proton using the CLAS detector and a tagged-photon beam in Hall B at Jefferson
Lab. The measurement was carried out by a triple coincidence detection of a
proton, $K^+$ and $K^-$ near the theoretical production threshold of 1.57 GeV.
The extracted differential cross sections $\frac{d\sigma}{dt}$ for the initial
photon energy from 1.65-1.75 GeV are consistent with predictions based on a
quasifree mechanism. This experiment establishes a baseline for a future
experimental search for an exotic $\phi$-N bound state from heavier nuclear
targets utilizing subthreshold/near-threshold production of $\phi$ mesons.
