Constituent-quark-model based coupled-channels calculation of the $\mathbf{bb\bar c\bar c}$ and $\mathbf{bc\bar b\bar c}$ tetraquark systems

TL;DR

This study uses a constituent quark model to analyze heavy tetraquark systems, predicting resonances in the $bbar car c$ sector but no bound states in the $bcar bar c$ sector, shedding light on their formation mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a coupled-channels molecular approach to heavy tetraquarks, predicting resonances for $bbar car c$ and absence of bound states for $bcar bar c$, advancing understanding of their structure.

Findings

Resonance states found in $bbar car c$ sector near thresholds.

No bound or resonance states in $bcar bar c$ sector.

Strong decay channels indicated by large decay widths.

Abstract

We perform a coupled-channels study of the $bb\bar c\bar c$ and $bc\bar b\bar c$ tetraquark systems in a molecular approach using a constituent quark model which has been widely used to satisfactorily describe a broad range of properties of heavy quark hadron systems, either conventional or exotic. Within a molecular framework, the interaction in the heavy quark sector is governed by gluon exchange or confinement forces that are inherently color-dependent. While the $B_c B_c$ system contains two identical quarks, enabling stronger interactions via exchange diagrams, the forces in the $B_c \bar{B}_c$ and $(c\bar{c})-(b\bar{b})$ systems are expected to be significantly weaker. Consequently, the theoretical and experimental analysis of $B_c^{(*)} B_c^{(*)}$, $B_c^{(*)} \bar{B}_c^{(*)}$, and charmonium-bottomonium bound structures could play a crucial role in clarifying the dominant mechanisms responsible for the formation of fully-heavy tetraquarks. For the $bb\bar c\bar c$ tetraquark sector, we find several resonance states with different spin-parity quantum numbers. These resonances are characterized by their proximity, but not too close, to the $B_c^{(\ast)}B_c^{(\ast)}$ thresholds and their large total decay widths, indicating strong decay channels. In contrast, our analysis of the $bc\bar b\bar c$ tetraquark sector reveals no bound states, virtual states, or resonances; suggesting that tetraquark states of the $(c\bar c)-(b\bar b)$ or $B_c^{(\ast)}\bar B_c^{(\ast)}$ molecular type are unlikely to be formed, within our model assumptions.