Semi-inclusive lepto-production of hidden-charm exotic hadrons

We investigate the semi-inclusive production of hidden-charm exotic states, including the S(3872), Z(c), Z(CS) and pentaquark P-C, states, in lepton-proton scattering processes. These hadrons are close to the thresholds of a pair of charm and anticharm hadrons and are assumed to possess a hadronic molecular structure as their main feature. To provide order-of-magnitude estimates of the cross sections, we use Pythia to simulate the short-distance productions of the constituent hadrons, which then rescatter to form exotic hadrons. The estimates for the X(3872) and Z(c)(3900)(+/-) states are not in conflict with the upper limits measured in the COMPASS experiment for the exclusive photoproduction process. The results indicate that the considered hidden-charm states can be copiously produced at the proposed electron-ion colliders EicC and US-EIC.

Automated summary

The study shows that hidden-charm exotic states can be produced abundantly in lepton-proton scattering processes through hadronic molecular structures and can also be produced in proposed electron-ion colliders.