Search for a pentaquark decaying to Cascade- pi-

TL;DR

This study searches for a hypothesized pentaquark decaying into Cascade and pi-minus particles in photon-nucleon collisions, but finds no evidence, setting upper limits on its production rate.

Contribution

First experimental search for a pentaquark decaying to Cascade-pi-minus in photon-nucleon collisions, establishing limits on its existence.

Findings

No evidence of the pentaquark in the specified mass range

Set upper limits on production cross section and yield

Constrained theoretical models predicting such states

Abstract

We present a search for a pentaquark decaying strongly to $\Xi^-\pi^-$ in $\gamma N$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy up to 25 GeV/c^2. Finding no evidence for such a state in the mass range of 1480 MeV/c^2 to 2400 MeV/c^2, we set limits on the yield and on the cross section times branching ratio relative to $\Xi^*(1530)^0$.