Lattice QCD estimate of the $\eta_{c}(2S)\to J/\psi\gamma$ decay rate

Abstract

We compute the hadronic matrix element relevant to the physical radiative decay $\eta_{c}(2S)\to J/\psi\gamma$ by means of lattice QCD. We use the (maximally) twisted mass QCD action with Nf=2 light dynamical quarks and from the computations made at four lattice spacings we were able to take the continuum limit. The value of the mass ratio $m_{\eta_c(2S)}/m_{\eta_c(1S)}$ we obtain is consistent with the experimental value, and our prediction for the form factor is $V^{\eta_{c}(2S)\to J/\psi\gamma}(0)\equiv V_{12}(0)=0.32(6)(2)$, leading to $\Gamma(\eta_c (2S) \to J/\psi\gamma) = (15.7\pm 5.7)$ keV, which is much larger than $\Gamma(\psi (2S) \to \eta_c\gamma)$ and within reach of modern experiments.