The distribution amplitude of the $\eta_c$-meson at leading twist from Lattice QCD

Abstract

Distribution amplitudes are functions of non-perturbative matrix elements describing the hadronization of quarks and gluons. Thanks to factorization theorems, they can be used to compute the scattering amplitude of high-energy processes. Recently, new ideas have allowed their computation using lattice QCD, which should provide us with a general, fully relativistic determination. We present the first lattice calculation of the $\eta_c$-meson distribution amplitude at leading twist. Starting from the relevant matrix element in discrete Euclidean space on a set of $N_f=2$ CLS ensembles, we explain the method to connect to continuum Minkowski spacetime. After addressing several sources of systematic uncertainty, we compare to Dyson-Schwinger and non-relativistic QCD determinations of this quantity. We find significant deviations between the latter and our result even at small Ioffe times.