First Kaonic Boron Isotopes Measurements with SIDDHARTA-2 at DA$Φ$NE

Abstract

A precision measurement of X-ray transitions in kaonic boron, performed by the SIDDHARTA-2 collaboration at the DA$Φ$NE collider, is reported. The energies and yields of the $5g\rightarrow4f$ and $4f\rightarrow3d$ transitions were determined for both boron isotopes, kaonic $^{10}\text{B}$ and kaonic $^{11}\text{B}$. For the $5g\rightarrow4f$ transition, the measured energies are $7064.62 \pm 16.93\,\text{(stat.)} \pm 2.00\,\text{(sys.)}$~eV for kaonic $^{11}\text{B}$ and $6920.96 \pm 58.23\,\text{(stat.)} \pm 2.00\,\text{(sys.)}$~eV for kaonic $^{10}\text{B}$. For the $4f\rightarrow3d$ transition, the corresponding values are $15293.33 \pm 4.80\,\text{(stat.)} \pm 5.30\,\text{(sys.)}$~eV and $15180.11 \pm 20.86\,\text{(stat.)} \pm 5.30\,\text{(sys.)}$~eV, respectively. The yields for the $5g\rightarrow4f$ transition are $0.076 \pm 0.013\,\text{(stat.)}^{+0.011}_{-0.012}\,\text{(sys.)}$ for kaonic $^{11}\text{B}$ and $0.0189 \pm 0.0032\,\text{(stat.)}^{+0.0028}_{-0.0030}\,\text{(sys.)}$ for kaonic $^{10}\text{B}$. For the $4f\rightarrow3d$ transition, the corresponding yields are $0.115 \pm 0.006\,\text{(stat.)}^{+0.002}_{-0.005}\,\text{(sys.)}$ and $0.0286 \pm 0.0015\,\text{(stat.)}^{+0.0007}_{-0.0014}\,\text{(sys.)}$, respectively. No statistically significant deviation from pure electromagnetic (QED) calculations is observed in the measurement of the $4f\rightarrow3d$ X-ray transition in kaonic $^{11}\text{B}$. Interpreted as upper limits, these results impose stringent constraints on the strong-interaction energy shift and width of the 3d level in light nuclei. Translating these limits into bounds on phenomenological kaon-nucleus optical potentials and, within specific theoretical models, on the complex scattering amplitude, we constrain and disfavor scenarios that predict large shifts or widths in boron.