Search for the light hadron decay $χ_{c1}(3872) \to π^{+}π^{-}η$

Abstract

With a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.5~fb$^{-1}$ collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring, for the first time the light hadron decay $χ_{c1}(3872) \rightarrow π^{+}π^{-}η$ is searched for. While no significant signal is observed, the upper limits at the 90\% confidence level for $σ[e^{+}e^{-} \rightarrow γχ_{c1}(3872)] \mathcal{B}[χ_{c1}(3872) \rightarrow π^{+}π^{-}η]$ at center-of-mass energies from 4.13 to 4.34 GeV are determined. By normalizing to the $χ_{c1}(3872)\toπ^+π^- J/ψ$ decay channel, a 90\% confidence level upper limit for the branching fraction ratio $\mathcal{R}=\mathcal{B}[χ_{c1}(3872) \rightarrowπ^{+}π^{-}η]/\mathcal{B}[χ_{c1}(3872) \rightarrow π^{+}π^{-} J/ψ] < 0.12$ is given. These measurements provide important inputs for understanding the internal structure of the $χ_{c1}(3872)$ resonance.

11 pages, 5 figures, version to appear in PRD(L)