$\Xi_c \to \Xi$ Semileptonic Decays: An LCSR View on the Experiment-Lattice Tension

Abstract

We present a light-cone QCD sum rule analysis of the semileptonic decays of $\Xi_c$ baryons, focusing on the channels $\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- \ell^+ \nu_\ell$, and $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^0 \ell^+ \nu_\ell$. The transition form factors are calculated within the light-cone QCD sum rules framework, using the distribution amplitudes of the heavy $\Xi_c$ baryons. The obtained form factors are then used to compute the differential and total decay widths, as well as the branching fractions. Our numerical results for the branching fractions are $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- \ell^+ \nu_\ell) = (3.73 \pm 1.04)~\%$ , $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- \mu^+ \nu_\mu) = (3.59 \pm 1.01)~\%$, $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^0 \ell^+ \nu_\ell) = (11.2 \pm 3.25)~\%$, and $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^0 \mu^+ \nu_\mu) = (10.8 \pm 3.13)~\%$. These results are in good agreement with recent lattice QCD calculations, while being larger than the current experimental measurements and differing from the predictions of other theoretical approaches.