The X(3872) boson: Molecule or charmonium

Abstract

It has been argued that the mystery boson X(3872) is a molecule state consisting of primarily D0-D0*bar + D0bar-D*0. In contrast, apparent puzzles and potential difficulties have been pointed out for the charmonium assignment of X(3872). We examine several aspects of these alternatives by semiquantitative methods since quantitatively accurate results are often hard to reach on them. We find that some of the observed properties of X(3872), in particualr, the binding and the production rates are incompatible with the molecule interpretation. Despite puzzles and obstacles, X(3872) may fit more likely to the excited triplet P_1 charmonium than to the molecule after mixing of cc-bar with DD*-bar +Dbar-D* is taken into account. One simple experimental test is pointed out for distinguishing between a charmonium and an isospin-mixed molecule in the neutral B decay.