Charm-baryon semileptonic decays and the strange $\Lambda^*$ resonances: New insights from lattice QCD

Abstract

Understanding the properties of the strange $\Lambda^*$ baryon resonances is a long-standing and fascinating problem. $\Lambda_c$ charm-baryon semileptonic weak decays to these resonances are highly sensitive to their internal structure and can be used to test theoretical models. We have performed the first lattice-QCD computation of the form factors governing $\Lambda_c$ semileptonic decays to a $\Lambda^*$ resonance: the $\Lambda^*(1520)$, which has negative parity and spin $3/2$. Here we present the resulting Standard-Model predictions of the $\Lambda_c\to\Lambda^*(1520)\ell^+\nu_\ell$ differential and integrated decay rates as well as angular observables. Furthermore, by combining the recent BESIII measurement of the $\Lambda_c \to X e^+ \nu_e$ inclusive semipositronic branching fraction [Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 251801 (2018)] with lattice-QCD predictions of the $\Lambda_c \to \Lambda e^+ \nu_e$, $\Lambda_c \to n e^+ \nu_e$, and $\Lambda_c \to \Lambda^*(1520) e^+ \nu_e$ decay rates, we obtain an upper limit on the sum of the branching fractions to all other semipositronic final states. In particular, this upper limit constrains the $\Lambda_c\to\Lambda^*(1405)e^+ \nu_e$ branching fraction to be very small, which may be another hint for a molecular structure of the $\Lambda^*(1405)$.