Evidence of the \Theta^+ in the \gamma d \to K^+K^-pn reaction

Abstract

The \gamma d \to K^+K^-pn reaction has been studied to search for the evidence of the \Theta^+ by detecting K^+K^- pairs at forward angles. The Fermi-motion corrected nK^+ invariant mass distribution shows a narrow peak at 1.524 +- 0.002 + 0.003 GeV/c^2. The statistical significance of the peak calculated from a shape analysis is 5.1 \sigma, and the differential cross-section for the \gamma n \to K^- \Theta^+ reaction is estimated to be 12 +- 2 nb/sr in the photon energy range from 2.0 GeV to 2.4 GeV in the LEPS angular range by assuming the isotropic production of the \Theta^+ in the \gamma n center-of-mass system. The obtained results support the existence of the \Theta^+.