A search for weakly decaying b-flavored pentaquarks

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for weakly decaying b-flavored pentaquarks in specific final states using LHCb data, finding no signals and setting upper limits on their production.

Contribution

First search for weakly decaying b-flavored pentaquarks in multiple decay channels using LHCb data, establishing upper limits on their production rates.

Findings

No evidence of pentaquark signals was observed.

Upper limits were set on production cross section times branching fraction.

The results constrain models predicting such pentaquark states.

Abstract

Investigations of the existence of pentaquark states containing a single $b$ (anti)quark decaying weakly into four specific final states J/$\psi K^+\pi^- p$, J/$\psi K^- \pi^- p$, J/$\psi K^- \pi^+ p$, and $J/\psi \phi (1020) p$ are reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.0/fb in 7 and 8 TeV pp collisions acquired with the LHCb detector. Signals are not observed and upper limits are set on the product of the production cross section times branching fraction with respect to that of the $\Lambda_b$.