Accuracy of bound-state form factors extracted from dispersive sum rules

Abstract

We discuss the extraction of form factors from three-point sum rules making use of a harmonic-oscillator model, where we derive the exact expression for the relevant correlator. We determine the form factor of the ground state by the standard procedures adopted in the method of sum rules, and compare the obtained results with the known exact values. We show that the uncontrollable uncertainty in the extracted value of the form factor is typically much larger than that for the decay constant. In the example considered, we find the uncontrolled systematic error in the extracted form factor to exceed the 10% level.