Heavy-light Mesons Research Articles

Hadron Spectroscopy and Dynamics from Light-Front Holography and Superconformal Algebra

QCD is not supersymmetrical in the traditional sense -- the QCD Lagrangian is based on quark and gluonic fields, not squarks nor gluinos. However, its hadronic eigensolutions conform to a representation of superconformal algebra, reflecting the underlying conformal symmetry of chiral QCD and its Pauli matrix representation. The eigensolutions of superconformal algebra provide a unified Regge spectroscopy of meson, baryon, and tetraquarks in the same 4-plet representation with a universal Regge slope. The pion $q \bar q$ eigenstate has zero mass for $m_q=0.$ The superconformal relations also can be extended to heavy-light quark mesons and baryons. The combined approach of light-front holography and superconformal algebra also provides insight into the origin of the QCD mass scale and color confinement. A key observation is the remarkable dAFF principle which shows how a mass scale can appear in the Hamiltonian and the equations of motion while retaining the conformal symmetry of the action. When one applies the dAFF procedure to chiral QCD, a mass scale $\kappa$ appears which determines universal Regge slopes, hadron masses in the absence of the Higgs coupling, and the mass parameter underlying the form of the nonperturbative QCD running coupling: $\alpha_s(Q^2) \propto \exp{-{Q^2/4 \kappa^2}}$, in agreement with the effective charge determined from measurements of the Bjorken sum rule. The mass scale $\kappa$ underlying hadron masses can be connected to the parameter $\Lambda_{\overline {MS}}$ in the QCD running coupling by matching its predicted nonperturbative form to the perturbative QCD regime. One also obtains predictions for spacelike and timelike hadronic form factors, structure functions, distribution amplitudes, and transverse momentum distributions.

Strong decays of the 1P and 2D doubly charmed states

We perform a systematical investigation of the strong decay properties of the low-lying $1P$- and $2D$-wave doubly charmed baryons with the $^3P_0$ quark pair creation model. The main predictions include: (i) in the $\Xi_{cc}$ and $\Omega_{cc}$ family, the $1P~\rho$ mode excitations with $J^P=1/2^-$ and $3/2^-$ should be the fairly narrow states. (ii) For the $1P~\lambda$ mode excitations, $|^2P_{\lambda}\frac{3}{2}^-\rangle$ and $|^4P_{\lambda}\frac{3}{2}^-\rangle$ have a width of $\Gamma\sim150$ MeV, and mainly decay into the $J^P=3/2^+$ ground state. Meanwhile, $|^2P_{\lambda}\frac{1}{2}^-\rangle$ and $|^4P_{\lambda}\frac{5}{2}^-\rangle$ are the narrow states with a width of $\Gamma\sim40$ MeV, and mainly decay into the ground state with $J^P=1/2^+$. (iii) The $2D_{\rho\rho}$ states mainly decay via emitting a heavy-light meson if their masses are above the threshold of $\Lambda_cD$ or $\Xi_cD$, respectively. Their strong decay widths are sensitive to the masses and can reach several tens MeV. (iv) The $2D_{\lambda\lambda}$ states may be broad states with a width of $\Gamma>100$ MeV. It should be emphasized that the states with $J^P=3/2^+$ and $5/2^+$ mainly decay into the ground state with $J^P=3/2^+$ plus a light-flavor meson, while the states with $J^P=1/2^+$ and $7/2^+$ mainly decay into the ground state with $J^P=1/2^+$ plus a light-flavor meson.

Effects of nonequilibrated topological charge distributions on pseudoscalar meson masses and decay constants

We study the effects of failure to equilibrate the squared topological charge $Q^2$ on lattice calculations of pseudoscalar masses and decay constants. The analysis is based on chiral perturbation theory calculations of the dependence of these quantities on the QCD vacuum angle $\theta$. For the light-light partially quenched case, we rederive the known chiral perturbation theory results of Aoki and Fukaya, but using the nonperturbatively-valid chiral theory worked out by Golterman, Sharpe and Singleton, and by Sharpe and Shoresh. We then extend these calculations to heavy-light mesons. Results when staggered taste-violations are important are also presented. The derived $Q^2$ dependence is compared to that of simulations using the MILC collaboration's ensembles of lattices with four flavors of HISQ dynamical quarks. We find agreement, albeit with large statistical errors. These results can be used to correct for the leading effects of unequilibrated $Q^2$, or to make estimates of the systematic error coming from the failure to equilibrate $Q^2$. In an appendix, we show that the partially quenched chiral theory may be extended beyond a lower bound on valence masses discovered by Sharpe and Shoresh. Subtleties occurring when a sea-quark mass vanishes are discussed in another appendix.

Heavy and Heavy-Light Mesons in the Covariant Spectator Theory

The masses and vertex functions of heavy and heavy-light mesons, described as quark-antiquark bound states, are calculated with the Covariant Spectator Theory (CST). We use a kernel with an adjustable mixture of Lorentz scalar, pseudoscalar, and vector linear confining interaction, together with a one-gluon-exchange kernel. A series of fits to the heavy and heavy-light meson spectrum were calculated, and we discuss what conclusions can be drawn from it, especially about the Lorentz structure of the kernel. We also apply the Brodsky-Huang-Lepage prescription to express the CST wave functions for heavy quarkonia in terms of light-front variables. They agree remarkably well with light-front wave functions obtained in the Hamiltonian basis light-front quantization (BLFQ) approach, even in excited states.

Relations between heavy-light meson and quark masses

The study of heavy-light meson masses should provide a way to determine renormalized quark masses and other properties of heavy-light mesons. In the context of lattice QCD, for example, it is possible to calculate hadronic quantities for arbitrary values of the quark masses. In this paper, we address two aspects relating heavy-light meson masses to the quark masses. First, we introduce a definition of the renormalized quark mass that is free of both scale dependence and renormalon ambiguities, and discuss its relation to more familiar definitions of the quark mass. We then show how this definition enters a merger of the descriptions of heavy-light masses in heavy-quark effective theory and in chiral perturbation theory ($\chi$PT). For practical implementations of this merger, we extend the one-loop $\chi$PT corrections to lattice gauge theory with heavy-light mesons composed of staggered fermions for both quarks. Putting everything together, we obtain a practical formula to describe all-staggered heavy-light meson masses in terms of quark masses as well as some lattice artifacts related to staggered fermions. In a companion paper, we use this function to analyze lattice-QCD data and extract quark masses and some matrix elements defined in heavy-quark effective theory.

Color Confinement, Hadron Dynamics, and Hadron Spectroscopy from Light-Front Holography and Superconformal Algebra

The QCD light-front Hamiltonian equation HLFΨ=M2Ψ derived from quantization at fixed LF time τ=t + z/c provides a causal, frame-independent method for computing hadron spectroscopy as well as dynamical observables such as structure functions, transverse momentum distributions, and distribution amplitudes. The QCD Lagrangian with zero quark mass has no explicit mass scale. de Alfaro, Fubini, and Furlan (dAFF) have made an important observation that a mass scale can appear in the equations of motion without affecting the conformal invariance of the action if one adds a term to the Hamiltonian proportional to the dilatation operator or the special conformal operator. If one applies the dAFF procedure to the QCD light-front Hamiltonian, it leads to a color-confining potential κ4ζ2 for mesons, where ζ2 is the LF radial variable conjugate to the qq¯ invariant mass squared. The same result, including spin terms, is obtained using light-front holography, the duality between light-front dynamics and AdS5, if one modifies the AdS5 action by the dilaton eκ2z2 in the fifth dimension z. When one generalizes this procedure using superconformal algebra, the resulting light-front eigensolutions provide a unified Regge spectroscopy of meson, baryon, and tetraquarks, including remarkable supersymmetric relations between the masses of mesons and baryons and a universal Regge slope. The pion qq¯ eigenstate has zero mass at mq=0. The superconformal relations also can be extended to heavy-light quark mesons and baryons. This approach also leads to insights into the physics underlying hadronization at the amplitude level. I will also discuss the remarkable features of the Poincaré invariant, causal vacuum defined by light-front quantization and its impact on the interpretation of the cosmological constant. AdS/QCD also predicts the analytic form of the nonperturbative running coupling αs(Q2)∝e-Q2/4κ2. The mass scale κ underlying hadron masses can be connected to the parameter ΛMS¯ in the QCD running coupling by matching the nonperturbative dynamics to the perturbative QCD regime. The result is an effective coupling αs(Q2) defined at all momenta. One obtains empirically viable predictions for spacelike and timelike hadronic form factors, structure functions, distribution amplitudes, and transverse momentum distributions. Finally, I address the interesting question of whether the momentum sum rule is valid for nuclear structure functions.

Ground State Mass Predictions of Heavy-Light Hybrids from QCD Sum-Rule Analysis (JP = {0±,1±})

We present QCD Laplace sum-rule predictions of ground state masses of heavy-light open-flavour hybrid mesons. Having computed leading-order diagonal correlation functions, including up to dimension six gluon condensate contributions, we extract hybrid mass predictions for all JP∈{0±,1±}, and explore possible mixing effects with conventional meson states. Similarities are found in the mass hierarchy in both charm and bottom systems with some exceptions that are discussed.

Heavy-hadron interactions from Lattice QCD

I review recent progress in heavy hadron spectroscopy and from ab-initio Lattice QCD calculations.After motivating lattice calculations for heavy-hadrons by contrasting recent LHCb results charmed and doubly-charmed baryons with lattice predictions, selected resultsfrom scattering calculations for heavy-light mesons and for charmonia are presented.I close with a discussion of recent Lattice QCD predictions of explicitlyexotic doubly-heavy states.

Strong Isospin Breaking in Heavy-Meson Decay Constants: Employing Borelized QCD Sum Rules in Local-Duality Limit

Applying the QCD sum-rule machinery in the so-called local-duality shape to heavy-light mesons reveals that, as a consequence of the non-zero mass gap between up and down quarks, the leptonic decay constants of the neutral and charged versions of the D, D*, B and B* mesons differ by approximately 1 MeV.

HQE parameters from unquenched lattice data on pseudoscalar and vector heavy-light meson masses

We present a new lattice determination of some of the parameters appearing both in the Operator Product Expansion (OPE) analysis of the inclusive semileptonic B-meson decays and in the Heavy Quark Expansion (HQE) of the pseudoscalar (PS) and vector (V) heavy-light meson masses. We perform a lattice QCD (LQCD) computation of PS and V heavy-light meson masses for heavy-quark masses mh in the range from [see formula in PDF] to ≃ [see formula in PDF]. We employed the Nf = 2 + 1 + 1 gauge configurations of the European Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC) at three values of the lattice spacing a ≃ (0.062,0.082,0.089) fm with pion masses in the range Mπ ≃ (210 - 450) MeV. The heavy-quark mass is simulated directly on the lattice up to ≃ [see formula in PDF]. The interpolation to the physical [see formula in PDF] is performed using the ETMC ratio method and adopting the kinetic mass scheme. We obtain [see formula in PDF] (1 GeV) = 4.61(20) GeV (m̅b(m̅b) = 4.26(18) GeV in the MS scheme). The lattice data are analyzed in terms of the HQE and the matrix elements of dimension-4 and dimension-5 operators are extracted with good precision, namely: [see formula in PDF] and [see formula in PDF]. The data also allow for an estimate of the dimension-6 operator matrix elements.

A systematic study of mass spectra and strong decay of strange mesons

The mass spectrum of the kaon family is analyzed by the modified Godfrey–Isgur model with a color screening effect approximating the kaon as a heavy–light meson system. This analysis gives us the structure and possible assignments of the observed kaon candidates, which can be tested by comparing the theoretical results of their two-body strong decays with the experimental data. Additionally, prediction of some partial decay widths is made on the kaons still missing in experiment. This study is crucial to establishing the kaon family and searching for their higher excitations in the future.

Heavy-Quark Symmetry Implies Stable Heavy Tetraquark Mesons Q_{i}Q_{j}q[over ¯]_{k}q[over ¯]_{l}.

For very heavy quarks Q, relations derived from heavy-quark symmetry predict the existence of novel narrow doubly heavy tetraquark states of the form Q_{i}Q_{j}q[over ¯]_{k}q[over ¯]_{l} (subscripts label flavors), where q designates a light quark. By evaluating finite-mass corrections, we predict that double-beauty states composed of bbu[over ¯]d[over ¯], bbu[over ¯]s[over ¯], and bbd[over ¯]s[over ¯] will be stable against strong decays, whereas the double-charm states ccq[over ¯]_{k}q[over ¯]_{l}, mixed beauty+charm states bcq[over ¯]_{k}q[over ¯]_{l}, and heavier bbq[over ¯]_{k}q[over ¯]_{l} states will dissociate into pairs of heavy-light mesons. Observation of a new double-beauty state through its weak decays would establish the existence of tetraquarks and illuminate the role of heavy color-antitriplet diquarks as hadron constituents.

Relation between the mass modification of heavy–light mesons and the chiral symmetry structure in dense matter

We point out that the study of the density dependences of the masses of heavy-light mesons give some clues to the chiral symmetry structure in nuclear matter. We include the omega meson effect as well as the sigma meson effect at mean field level on the density dependence of the masses of heavy-light mesons with chiral partner structure. It is found that the omega meson affects the masses of the heavy-light mesons and their antiparticles in the opposite way, while it affects the masses of chiral partners in the same way. This is because the omega meson is sensitive to the baryon number of the light degrees included in the heavy-light mesons. We also show that the mass difference between chiral partners is proportional to the mean field of sigma, reflecting the partial restoration of chiral symmetry in the nuclear matter. In addition to the general illustration of the density dependence of the heavy-light meson masses, we consider two concrete models for nuclear matter, the parity doublet model and skyrmion crystal model in the sense of mean field approximation.

Covariant spectator theory of quark-antiquark bound states: Mass spectra and vertex functions of heavy and heavy-light mesons

We use the covariant spectator theory with an effective quark-antiquark interaction, containing Lorentz scalar, pseudoscalar, and vector contributions, to calculate the masses and vertex functions of, simultaneously, heavy and heavy-light mesons. We perform least-square fits of the model parameters, including the quark masses, to the meson spectrum and systematically study the sensitivity of the parameters with respect to different sets of fitted data. We investigate the influence of the vector confining interaction by using a continuous parameter controlling its weight. We find that vector contributions to the confining interaction between 0% and about 30% lead to essentially the same agreement with the data. Similarly, the light quark masses are not very tightly constrained. In all cases, the meson mass spectra calculated with our fitted models agree very well with the experimental data. We also calculate the mesons wave functions in a partial wave representation and show how they are related to the meson vertex functions in covariant form.

Decay properties of charm and bottom mesons in a quantum isotonic nonlinear oscillator potential model

Employing generalized quantum isotonic oscillator potential we determine wave function for mesonic system in nonrelativistic formalism. Then we investigate branching ratios of leptonic decays for heavy-light mesons including a charm quark. Next, by applying the Isgur-Wise function we obtain branching ratios of semileptonic decays for mesons including a bottom quark. The weak decay of the $ B_{c}$ meson is also analyzed to study the life time. Comparison with other available theoretical approaches is presented.

Dimesonic states with the heavy-light flavour mesons

In this work, we have calculated the mass spectra and decay properties of dimesonic states in the variational scheme. The inter-mesonic interaction considered as the Hellmann potential and One Pion Exchange potential. The mass spectra of the $D\overline{D^{*}}$, $D^{*}\overline{D^{*}}$, $D\overline{B^{*}}$, $B^{*}\overline{D}$, $B\overline{B^{*}}$, $B^{*}\overline{B^{*}}$ bound states are calculated. The states X(3872), $X_{2c}(4013)$, $Z_{b}(10610)/X_{b}$ and $Z_{b}(10650)/X_{b2}$ are compared with $D\overline{D^{*}}$, $D^{*}\overline{D^{*}}$, $B\overline{B^{*}}$ and $B^{*}\overline{B^{*}}$ dimesonic bound states. {\bf To probe the molecular structure of the compared states, we have calculated the decay properties sensitive to their long and short distance structure of the hadronic molecule. The radiative decay for the state X(3872) into $J/\psi \gamma$ and $\psi(2S) \gamma$ have been calculated and the ratio is found to be ten times lesser than the experimental value whereas the other decay modes are comparable with other theoretical and experimental results. This results restrict us to assigned the pure molecular structure to the X(3872). But, Our results suggests that the compared states are close to the molecular structure or have dominant molecular component in their wave function. Apart from these, the other calculated mass spectra of dimesonic states are predicted and for such bound states, the experimental search are suggested.}

Extraction of heavy-quark-expansion parameters from unquenched lattice data on pseudoscalar and vector heavy-light meson masses

We present a precise lattice computation of pseudoscalar and vector heavy-light meson masses for heavy-quark masses ranging from the physical charm mass up to $\simeq 4$ times the physical b-quark mass. We employ the gauge configurations generated by the European Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC) with $N_f = 2+1+1$ dynamical quarks at three values of the lattice spacing ($a \simeq 0.062, 0.082, 0.089$ fm) with pion masses in the range $M_\pi \simeq 210 - 450$ MeV. The heavy-quark mass is simulated directly on the lattice up to $\simeq 3$ times the physical charm mass. The interpolation to the physical $b$-quark mass is performed using the ETMC ratio method, based on ratios of the meson masses computed at nearby heavy-quark masses, and adopting the kinetic mass scheme. The extrapolation to the physical pion mass and to the continuum limit yields $m_b^{\rm kin}(1~\mbox{GeV}) = 4.61 (20)$ GeV, which corresponds to $\overline{m}_b(\overline{m}_b) = 4.26 (18)$ GeV in the $\overline{MS}$ scheme. The lattice data are analyzed in terms of the Heavy Quark Expansion (HQE) and the matrix elements of dimension-4 and dimension-5 operators are extracted with a good precision, namely: $\overline{\Lambda} = 0.552 (26)$ GeV, $\mu_\pi^2 = 0.321 (32)$ GeV$^2$ and $\mu_G^2(m_b) = 0.253 (25)$ GeV$^2$. The data also allow for a rough estimate of the dimension-6 operator matrix elements. As the HQE parameters play a crucial role in the inclusive determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements $V_{ub}$ and $V_{cb}$, their precise determination on the lattice may eventually validate and improve the analyses based on fits to the semileptonic moments.

Charmed mesons with a symmetry-preserving contact interaction

A symmetry-preserving treatment of a vector-vector contact interaction is used to study charmed heavy-light mesons. The contact interaction is a representation of nonperturbative kernels used in Dyson-Schwinger and Bethe-Salpeter equations of QCD. The Dyson-Schwinger equation is solved for the $u,\,d,\,s$ and $c$ quark propagators and the bound-state Bethe-Salpeter amplitudes respecting spacetime-translation invariance and the Ward-Green-Takahashi identities associated with global symmetries of QCD are obtained to calculate masses and electroweak decay constants of the pseudoscalar $\pi,\,K$, $D$ and $D_s$ and vector $\rho$, $K^*$, $D^*$, and $D^*_s$ mesons. The predictions of the model are in good agreement with available experimental and lattice QCD data.

Excited state mass spectra, decay properties and Regge trajectories of charm and charm-strange mesons**Supported by Department of Science of Technology, India under SERB fast track scheme SR/FTP/PS-152/2012 and also to SVNIT (Institute Research Grant (Dean (R&C)/1488/2013-14))

The framework of a phenomenological quark-antiquark potential (Coulomb plus linear confinement) model with a Gaussian wave function is used for detailed study of masses of the ground, orbitally and radially excited states of heavy-light Qq̅, (Q=c,q=u/d,s) mesons. We incorporate a correction to the potential energy term and relativistic corrections to the kinetic energy term of the Hamiltonian. The spin-hyperfine, spin-orbit and tensor interactions incorporating the effect of mixing are employed to obtain the pseudoscalar, vector, radially and orbitally excited state meson masses. The Regge trajectories in the (J,M2) and (nr,M2) planes for heavy-light mesons are investigated with their corresponding parameters. Leptonic and radiative leptonic decay widths and corresponding branching ratios are computed. The mixing parameters are also estimated. Our predictions are in good agreement with experimental results as well as lattice and other theoretical models.

Application of the light-front holographic wavefunction for heavy-light pseudoscalar meson in Bd,s → Dd,sP decays

In this paper we extend our analyses of the decay constant and distribution amplitude with an improved holographic wavefunction to the heavy-light pseudoscalar mesons. In the evaluations, the helicity-dependence of the holographic wavefunction is considered; and an independent mass scale parameter is employed to moderate the strong suppression induced by the heavy quark. Under the constraints from decay constants and masses of pseudoscalar mesons, the χ2-analyses for the holographic parameters exhibit a rough consistence with the results obtained by fitting the Regge trajectory. With the fitted parameters, the results for the decay constants and distribution amplitudes are presented. We then show their application in evaluating the Bd,s→Dd,sP decays, in which the power-suppressed spectator scattering and weak annihilation corrections are first estimated. Numerically, the spectator scattering and weak annihilation corrections present a negative shift of about 0.7% on the branching fractions; while, the predictions are still larger than the experimental data. Such small negative shift confirms the estimation based on the power counting rules.