Search for the $$\Theta^+$$ pentaquark in the reaction $$\gamma d \to p K^- K^+ n$$

Journal Article · Tue Apr 04 04:00:00 EDT 2006

OSTI ID:878472

McKinnon, B; Hicks, K; Baltzell, N A; Carman, D S; Mestayer, M D; Mibe, T; Mirazita, M; Niccolai, S; Rossi, P; Stepanyan, S; Tedeschi, D J

A search for the {Theta}{sup +} in the reaction {gamma}d {yields} pK{sup -} K{sup +} n was completed using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. An earlier publication of the same reaction by the CLAS Collaboration, with lower statistics, reported the observation of a narrow resonance, identified as the {Theta}{sup +} pentaquark. The present experiment, with more than 30 times the integrated luminosity of our earlier measurement, does not show any evidence for a narrow pentaquark resonance. The upper limit on {Theta}{sup +} production in the mass range of 1.52 to 1.56 GeV/c{sup 2} for the {gamma}d {yields} pK{sup -}{Theta}{sup +} reaction is less than 0.3 nb (95% confidence level), and less than 0.6 nb over the mass range 1.48 to 1.70 GeV/c{sup 2}. Using {Lambda}(1520) production as an empirical measure of rescattering in the deuteron, the cross section upper limit for the elementary {gamma}n {yields} K{sup -}{Theta}{sup +} reaction is estimated to be a factor of 10 higher.

• Research Organization: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE - Office of Energy Research (ER)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84ER40150
• OSTI ID: 878472
• Report Number(s): JLAB-PHY-06-459; DOE/ER/40150-3830; hep-ex/0603028
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
CROSS SECTIONS
DETECTION
DEUTERONS
KAONS MINUS
KAONS PLUS
LAMBDA-1520 BARYONS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PROTONS
RESCATTERING
TENSOR MESONS