Partial-wave analysis of two-hadron fragmentation functions

Abstract

We reconsider the option of extracting the transversity distribution by using interference fragmentation functions into two leading hadrons inside the same current jet. To this end, we perform a new study of two-hadron fragmentation functions. We derive new positivity bounds on them. We expand the hadron pair system in relative partial waves, so that we can naturally incorporate in a unified formalism specific cases already studied in the literature, such as the fragmentation functions arising from the interference between the s- and p-wave production of two mesons, as well as the production of a spin-one hadron. In particular, our analysis clearly distinguishes two different ways to access the transversity distribution in two-hadron semi-inclusive leptoproduction.