Exclusive diffractive photoproduction of dileptons by timelike Compton scattering

TL;DR

This paper derives a theoretical model for exclusive dilepton production via timelike Compton scattering, providing predictions for cross sections and distributions, and discusses the approximation of timelike photon production by spacelike continuation.

Contribution

It introduces a formalism for calculating the forward photoproduction amplitude in momentum space using $k_ot$-factorization and provides predictions based on unintegrated gluon distributions.

Findings

Calculated total cross sections as a function of energy.

Provided invariant mass distributions of lepton pairs.

Discussed the approximation of timelike photon production by spacelike domain.

Abstract

We derive the forward photoproduction amplitude for the diffractive $\gamma p \to l^+ l^- p$ reaction in the momentum space. within the formalism of $k_\perp$- factorization. Predictions for the $\gamma p \to l^+ l^- p$ reaction are given using unintegrated gluon distribution from the literature. We calculate the total cross section as a function of photon-proton center of mass energy and the invariant mass distribution of the lepton pair. We also discuss whether the production of timelike virtual photons can be approximated by continuing to the spacelike domain $ q^2 < 0$. The present calculation provides an input for future predictions for exclusive hadroproduction in the $p p \to p l^+ l^- p$ reaction.