Franck-Condon principle for heavy-quark hadron decays

Abstract

The Franck-Condon principle governing molecular electronic transitions is utilized to study heavy-quark hadron decays. This provides a direct assessment of the wavefunction of the parent hadron if the momentum distribution of the open-flavor decay products is measured. Model-independent results include an experimental distinction between quarkonium and exotica (hybrids, tetraquarks...), an off-plane correlator signature for tetraquarks and a direct probe of the sea quark orbital wavefunction relevant in the discussion of 3S_1 or 3P_0 decay mechanisms.

Prepared for the Workshop on Scalar Mesons and Related Topics, Lisbon, 11-16 Feburary 2008