Mesonic Form Factors in the Light-Front Quark Model

Abstract

Form factors for $P\to P$ and $P\to V$ transitions due to the valence-quark configuration are calculated directly in the physical time-like range of momentum transfer within the light-front quark model. It is pointed out that the Bauer-Stech-Wirbel type of light-front wave function fails to give a correct normalization for the Isgur-Wise function at zero recoil in $P\to V$ transition. Some of the $P\to V$ form factors are found to depend on the recoiling direction of the daughter mesons relative to their parents. Thus, the inclusion of the non-valence contribution arising from quark-pair creation is mandatory in order to ensure that the physical form factors are independent of the recoiling direction.

To appear in proceedings of the 1996 DPF Meeting of the American Physical Society, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Aug 10-15, 1996, 4 pages