Electromagnetic form factors and structure of the $T_{bb}$ tetraquark from lattice QCD

TL;DR

This study uses lattice QCD to determine the electromagnetic form factors of the exotic $T_{bb}$ tetraquark, revealing its internal structure and charge distribution, and providing evidence of a compact diquark-antidiquark configuration.

Contribution

First lattice QCD calculation of $T_{bb}$ tetraquark's electromagnetic form factors, elucidating its internal structure and charge distribution.

Findings

$T_{bb}$ has a smaller charge radius than $B$ and $B^*$ mesons.

Evidence supports a bound state of a compact heavy diquark and a light antidiquark.

Electric form factors of $B$ and $B^*$ mesons are also determined.

Abstract

We present the first lattice QCD determination of the electromagnetic form factors of the exotic tetraquark $T_{bb} \ (bb \bar u \bar d)$ with quantum numbers $I( J^P ) = 0( 1^+ )$. The extracted form factors encode information about its internal structure, including the charge distribution and the magnetic dipole moments, determined separately for the light and heavy quarks. Our results provide evidence in favor of it being a bound state consisting of a compact heavy diquark $[bb]$ in a color-antitriplet with spin one, and a light antidiquark $[\bar u \bar d]$ in a color-triplet with spin zero. The charge radius of $T_{bb}$ is found to be significantly smaller than the combined charge radii of $B$ and $B^*$ mesons. These two comprise the lowest-lying threshold $BB^*$ in the channel we are considering, and their electric charge form factors are also determined. The computations were performed on a single CLS ensemble with $N_f = 2+1$ dynamical quarks and a lattice spacing of approximately $a \approx0.064 \ \mathrm{fm}$ at the pion mass $m_\pi \approx 290 \ \mathrm{MeV}$.