Radiative Leptonic BcB_c Decays

We analyze the radiative leptonic $B_c$ decay mode: $B_c \to \ell \nu \gamma$ ($\ell=e, \mu$) using a QCD-inspired constituent quark model. The prediction: ${\cal B}(B_c \to \ell \nu \gamma)\simeq 3 \times 10^{-5}$ makes this channel experimentally promising in view of the large number of $B_c$ mesons which are expected to be produced at the future hadron facilities.Comment: LaTex, 12 pages, 2 figures. A discussion on gauge invariance added. Numerical results update

Chiral symmetry restoration and deconfinement in QCD at finite temperature

The light-quark correlator in the axial-vector channel is used, in conjunction with finite energy QCD sum rules at finite temperature, in order to (a) establish a relation between chiral-symmetry restoration and deconfinement, and (b) determine the temperature behavior of the $a_1(1260)$ width and coupling. Results indicate that deconfinement takes place at a slightly lower temperature than chiral-symmetry restoration, although this difference is not significant given the accuracy of the method. The behaviour of the $a_1(1260)$ parameters is consistent with quark-gluon deconfinement, as the width grows and the coupling decreases with increasing temperature

(Pseudo)Scalar Charmonium in Finite Temperature QCD

The hadronic parameters of pseudoscalar ($\eta_c$) and scalar ($\chi_c$) charmonium are determined at finite temperature from Hilbert moment QCD sum rules. These parameters are the hadron mass, leptonic decay constant, total width, and continuum threshold ($s_0$). Results for $s_0(T)$ in both channels indicate that $s_0(T)$ starts approximately constant, and then it decreases monotonically with increasing $T$ until it reaches the QCD threshold, $s_{th} = 4 m_Q^2$, at a critical temperature T = T_c \simeq 180 \; \mbox{MeV} interpreted as the deconfinement temperature. The other hadronic parameters behave qualitatively similarly to those of the $J/\psi$, as determined in this same framework. The hadron mass is essentially constant, the total width is initially independent of T, and after $T/T_c \simeq 0.80$ it begins to increase with increasing $T$ up to $T/T_c \simeq 0.90 \; (0.95)$ for $\chi_c$ ($\eta_c$), and subsequently it decreases sharply up to $T \simeq 0.94 \; (0.99) \; T_c$, for $\chi_c$ ($\eta_c$), beyond which the sum rules are no longer valid. The decay constant of $\chi_c$ at first remains basically flat up to $T \simeq 0.80\; T_c$, then it starts to decrease up to $T \simeq 0.90 \;T_c$, and finally it increases sharply with increasing $T$. In the case of $\eta_c$ the decay constant does not change up to $T \simeq 0.80 \;T_c$ where it begins a gentle increase up to $T \simeq 0.95 \;T_c$ beyond which it increases dramatically with increasing $T$. This behaviour contrasts with that of light-light and heavy-light quark systems, and it suggests the survival of the $\eta_c$ and the $\chi_c$ states beyond the critical temperature, as already found for the $J/\psi$ from similar QCD sum rules. These conclusions are very stable against changes in the critical temperature in the wide range T_c = 180 - 260 \; \mbox{MeV}.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. A wide range of critical temperatures has been considered. No qualitative changes to the conclusion

Twisted Mass Finite Volume Effects

We calculate finite volume effects on the pion masses and decay constant in twisted mass lattice QCD (tmLQCD) at finite lattice spacing. We show that the lighter neutral pion in tmLQCD gives rise to finite volume effects that are exponentially enhanced when compared to those arising from the heavier charged pions. We demonstrate that the recent two flavour twisted mass lattice data can be better fitted when twisted mass effects in finite volume corrections are taken into account.Comment: 17 pages, revte

Pion scattering in Wilson ChPT

We compute the scattering amplitude for pion scattering in Wilson chiral perturbation theory for two degenerate quark flavors. We consider two different regimes where the quark mass m is of order (i) a\Lambda_QCD^2 and (ii) a^2\Lambda_QCD^3. Analytic expressions for the scattering lengths in all three isospin channels are given. As a result of the O(a^2) terms the I=0 and I=2 scattering lengths do not vanish in the chiral limit. Moreover, additional chiral logarithms proportional to a^2\ln M_{\pi}^2 are present in the one-loop results for regime (ii). These contributions significantly modify the familiar results from continuum chiral perturbation theory.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures. V3: Comments on finite size effects and the axial vector current added, one more reference. To be published in PR

Charm-quark mass from weighted finite energy QCD sum rules

The running charm-quark mass in the $\bar{MS}$ scheme is determined from weighted finite energy QCD sum rules (FESR) involving the vector current correlator. Only the short distance expansion of this correlator is used, together with integration kernels (weights) involving positive powers of $s$, the squared energy. The optimal kernels are found to be a simple {\it pinched} kernel, and polynomials of the Legendre type. The former kernel reduces potential duality violations near the real axis in the complex s-plane, and the latter allows to extend the analysis to energy regions beyond the end point of the data. These kernels, together with the high energy expansion of the correlator, weigh the experimental and theoretical information differently from e.g. inverse moments FESR. Current, state of the art results for the vector correlator up to four-loop order in perturbative QCD are used in the FESR, together with the latest experimental data. The integration in the complex s-plane is performed using three different methods, fixed order perturbation theory (FOPT), contour improved perturbation theory (CIPT), and a fixed renormalization scale $\mu$ (FMUPT). The final result is $\bar{m}_c (3\, {GeV}) = 1008\,\pm\, 26\, {MeV}$, in a wide region of stability against changes in the integration radius $s_0$ in the complex s-plane.Comment: A short discussion on convergence issues has been added at the end of the pape

Strong Interactions at Low Energy

The lectures review some of the basic concepts relevant for an understanding of the low energy properties of the strong interactions: chiral symmetry, spontaneous symmetry breakdown, Goldstone bosons, quark condensate. The effective field theory used to analyze the low energy structure is briefly sketched. As an illustration, I discuss the implications of the recent data on the decay $K\to \pi\pi e\nu$ for the magnitude of the quark condensate.Comment: Lectures given at the school of physics "Understanding the structure of hadrons", Prague, July 2001, 20 p

J/psi couplings to charmed resonances and to pi

We present an evaluation of the strong couplings JD^(*)D^(*) and JD^(*)D^(*)pi by an effective field theory of quarks and mesons. These couplings are necessary to calculate pi+J/psi --> D^(*)+barD^(*) cross sections, an important background to the J/psi suppression signal in the quark-gluon plasma. We write down the general effective lagrangian and compute the relevant couplings in the soft pion limit and beyond.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, 2 reference added and minor comments, style changed to RevTe

Quark masses in QCD: a progress report

Recent progress on QCD sum rule determinations of the light and heavy quark masses is reported. In the light quark sector a major breakthrough has been made recently in connection with the historical systematic uncertainties due to a lack of experimental information on the pseudoscalar resonance spectral functions. It is now possible to suppress this contribution to the 1% level by using suitable integration kernels in Finite Energy QCD sum rules. This allows to determine the up-, down-, and strange-quark masses with an unprecedented precision of some 8-10%. Further reduction of this uncertainty will be possible with improved accuracy in the strong coupling, now the main source of error. In the heavy quark sector, the availability of experimental data in the vector channel, and the use of suitable multipurpose integration kernels allows to increase the accuracy of the charm- and bottom-quarks masses to the 1% level.Comment: Invited review paper to be published in Modern Physics Letters