First πK\pi K atom lifetime and πK\pi K scattering length measurements

The results of a search for hydrogen-like atoms consisting of $\pi^{\mp}K^{\pm}$ mesons are presented. Evidence for $\pi K$ atom production by 24 GeV/c protons from CERN PS interacting with a nickel target has been seen in terms of characteristic $\pi K$ pairs from their breakup in the same target ($178 \pm 49$) and from Coulomb final state interaction ($653 \pm 42$). Using these results the analysis yields a first value for the $\pi K$ atom lifetime of $\tau=(2.5_{-1.8}^{+3.0})$ fs and a first model-independent measurement of the S-wave isospin-odd $\pi K$ scattering length $\left|a_0^-\right|=\frac{1}{3}\left|a_{1/2}-a_{3/2}\right|= \left(0.11_{-0.04}^{+0.09} \right)M_{\pi}^{-1}$ ($a_I$ for isospin $I$).Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Determination of ππ\pi\pi scattering lengths from measurement of π+π−\pi^+\pi^- atom lifetime

The DIRAC experiment at CERN has achieved a sizeable production of $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms and has significantly improved the precision on its lifetime determination. From a sample of 21227 atomic pairs, a 4% measurement of the S-wave $\pi\pi$ scattering length difference $|a_0-a_2| = (.0.2533^{+0.0080}_{-0.0078}|_\mathrm{stat}.{}^{+0.0078}_{-0.0073}|_\mathrm{syst})M_{\pi^+}^{-1}$ has been attained, providing an important test of Chiral Perturbation Theory.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Search for Long-Lived States of π+π−\pi^+\pi^- Atoms : Addendum to the DIRAC Proposal

The proposed experiment is a further development of the DIRAC experiment already running at CERN PS. The observation of long-lived (metastable) states of $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms ($A_{2\pi}$) will be performed with the same setup. This observation opens a possibility to measure the energy difference between $ns$ and $np$ states and to determine the value of the combination $2a_0+a_2$ of S-wave $\pi\pi$ scattering lengths in a model-independent way. In combination with the $A_{2\pi}$ lifetime measurement providing the value $|a_0-a_2|$ DIRAC is in the position to get $a_0$ and $a_2$ separately on the basis of $A_{2\pi}$ data only

First measurement of a long-lived π+π−\pi^+ \pi^- atom lifetime

The adapted DIRAC experiment at the CERN PS accelerator observed for the first time long-lived hydrogen-like $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms, produced by protons hitting a beryllium target. A part of these atoms crossed the gap of 96~mm and got broken up in the 2.1~\textmu{}m thick platinum foil. Analysing the observed number of atomic pairs, $n_A^L= \left.436^{+157}_{-61}\right|_\mathrm{tot}$, the lifetime of the 2$p$ state is found to be ${\tau_{2p}=(\left.0.45^{+1.08}_{-0.30}\right|_\mathrm{tot}) \cdot10^{-11}}$s, not contradicting the corresponding QED $2p$ state lifetime ${\tau_{2p}^\mathrm{QED}=1.17 \cdot 10^{-11}}$s. This lifetime value is three orders of magnitude larger than our previously measured value of the $\pi^+\pi^-$ atom ground state lifetime $\tau=(\left.3.15^{+0.28}_{-0.26}\right|_\mathrm{tot})\cdot 10^{-15}$s. Further studies of long-lived $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms will allow to measure energy differences between $p$ and $s$ atomic states and so to determine $\pi\pi$ scattering lengths with the aim to check QCD predictions.The adapted DIRAC experiment at the CERN PS accelerator observed for the first time long-lived hydrogenlike π+π- atoms, produced by protons hitting a beryllium target. A part of these atoms crossed the gap of 96 mm between the target and a 2.1  μm thick platinum foil, in which most of them dissociated. Analyzing the observed number of atomic pairs, nAL=436-61+157|tot, the lifetime of the 2p state is found to be τ2p=(0.45-0.30+1.08|tot)×10-11  s, not contradicting the corresponding QED 2p state lifetime τ2pQED=1.17×10-11  s. This lifetime value is three orders of magnitude larger than our previously measured value of the π+π- atom ground state lifetime τ=(3.15-0.26+0.28|tot)×10-15  s. Further studies of long-lived π+π- atoms will allow us to measure energy differences between p and s atomic states and so to discriminate between the isoscalar and isotensor ππ scattering lengths with the aim to check QCD predictions.The adapted DIRAC experiment at the CERN PS accelerator observed for the first time long-lived hydrogen-like $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms, produced by protons hitting a beryllium target. A part of these atoms crossed the gap of 96~mm and got broken up in the 2.1~\textmu{}m thick platinum foil. Analysing the observed number of atomic pairs, $n_A^L= \left.436^{+157}_{-61}\right|_\mathrm{tot}$, the lifetime of the 2$p$ state is found to be ${\tau_{2p}=(\left.0.45^{+1.08}_{-0.30}\right|_\mathrm{tot}) \cdot10^{-11}}$s, not contradicting the corresponding QED $2p$ state lifetime ${\tau_{2p}^\mathrm{QED}=1.17 \cdot 10^{-11}}$s. This lifetime value is three orders of magnitude larger than our previously measured value of the $\pi^+\pi^-$ atom ground state lifetime $\tau=(\left.3.15^{+0.28}_{-0.26}\right|_\mathrm{tot})\cdot 10^{-15}$s. Further studies of long-lived $\pi^+\pi^-$ atoms will allow to measure energy differences between $p$ and $s$ atomic states and so to determine $\pi\pi$ scattering lengths with the aim to check QCD predictions

First observation of long-lived π+π− atoms

After observing and investigating the double-exotic (a double-exotic atom is a bound system, in which both oppositely charged components are unstable particles like μ,π,K,…) π+π− atom with the ground state lifetime τ of about 3×10−15 s, the upgraded DIRAC experiment at the CERN PS accelerator observes for the first time long-lived states of the same atom with lifetimes of about 10−11 s and more. The number of characteristic pion pairs resulting from the breakup (ionisation) of long-lived π+π− atoms amounts to 436±61, corresponding to a signal-to-error ratio of better than 7 standard deviations. This observation opens a new possibility to measure energy differences between p and s atomic states and so to determine ππ scattering lengths

Observation of π−K+\pi^- K^+ and π+K−\pi^+ K^- atoms

The observation of hydrogen-like $\pi K$ atoms, consisting of $\pi^- K^+$ or $\pi^+ K^-$ mesons, is presented. The atoms have been produced by 24 GeV/$c$ protons from the CERN PS accelerator, interacting with platinum or nickel foil targets. The breakup (ionisation) of $\pi K$ atoms in the same targets yields characteristic $\pi K$ pairs, called ``atomic pairs'', with small relative momenta in the pair centre-of-mass system. The upgraded DIRAC experiment has observed $349\pm62$ such atomic $\pi K$ pairs, corresponding to a signal of 5.6 standard deviations