Search for the Charmed Pentaquark Candidate Theta_c(3100) in e+e- Annihilations at sqrt(s)=10.58 GeV

Abstract

We search for the charmed pentaquark candidate reported by the H1 collaboration, the Theta_c(3100)^0, in e^+e^- interactions at a center-of-mass (c.m.) energy of 10.58 GeV, using 124~fb-1 of data recorded with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II e^+e^- facility at SLAC. We find no evidence for such a state in the same pD^{*-} decay mode reported by H1, and we set limits on its production cross section times branching fraction into pD^{*-} as a function of c.m. momentum. The corresponding limit on its total rate per e^+e^- -> qqbar event, times branching fraction, is about three orders of magnitude lower than rates measured for the charmed Lambda_c and Sigma_c baryons in such events.