Scale Invariance in Heavy Hadron Molecules

Abstract

We discuss a scenario in which the $P_c(4450)^{+}$ heavy pentaquark is a $\Sigma_c \bar{D}^*$-$\Lambda_{c}(2595) \bar{D}$ molecule. The $\Lambda_{c1} \bar{D} \to \Sigma_c \bar{D}^*$ transition is mediated by the exchange of a pion almost on the mass shell that generates a long-range $1/r^2$ potential. This is analogous to the effective force that is responsible for the Efimov spectrum in three-boson systems interacting through short-range forces. The equations describing this molecule exhibit approximate scale invariance, which is anomalous and broken by the solutions. If the $1/r^2$ potential is strong enough this symmetry survives in the form of discrete scale invariance, opening the prospect of an Efimov-like geometrical spectrum in two-hadron systems. For a molecular pentaquark with quantum numbers $\frac{3}{2}^{-}$ the attraction is not enough to exhibit discrete scale invariance, but this prospect might very well be realized in a $\frac{1}{2}^{+}$ pentaquark or in other hadron molecules involving transitions between particle channels with opposite intrinsic parity and a pion near the mass shell. A very good candidate is the $\Lambda_{c}(2595) \bar{\Xi}_b - \Sigma_c \bar{\Xi}_b'$ molecule. Independently of this, the $1/r^2$ force is expected to play a very important role in the formation of this type of hadron molecule, which points to the existence of $\frac{1}{2}^{+}$ $\Sigma_c D^*$-$\Lambda_{c}(2595) D$ and $1^+$ $\Lambda_{c}(2595) {\Xi}_b - \Sigma_c {\Xi}_b'$ molecules and $0^{+}$/$1^{-}$ $\Lambda_{c}(2595) \bar{\Xi}_b - \Sigma_c \bar{\Xi}_b'$ baryonia.