We report a measurement of the cross section for the process γγ → π + π − at invariant masses 500 MeV/ c 2 < m ππ <2000 MeV/ c 2 . A value for the radiative width of the f(1270) tensor meson Γ f→ γγ = 3.6 ± 0.3 ± 0.5 KeV (helicity λ = 2) has been obtained from a fit to the observed ππ mass spectrum.
We have studied the properties of hadron production in photon-photon scattering with tagged photons at the e + e − storage ring PETRA. A tail in the p T distribution of particles consistent with p T −4 has been observed. We show that this tail cannot be due to the hadronic part of the photon. Selected events with high p T particles are found to be consistent with a two-jet structure as expected from a point-like coupling of the photons to quarks. The lowest-order cross section predicted for γγ → q q , σ = 3 Σ e q 4 · σ γγ → μμ , is approached from above by the data at large transverse momenta.
Production of proton-antiproton pairs by two-photon scattering has been observed at the electron-position storage ring PETRA. A total of eight proton-antiproton pairs have been identified using the time-of-flight technique. We have measured a total cross section of 4.5 ± 0.8 nb in the photon-photon c.m. energy range 2.0–2.6 GeV.
We investigate the four-photon final state produced in γγ colissions. In the π 0 π 0 channel we observe f(1270) production with predominantly helicity 2 and measure a partial width Γ γγ 2.9 +0.6 −0.4 ± keV (independent of assumptions on the helicity). We observe A 2 (1310) production in the π 0 η channel and find a partial width Γ γγ = 0.77 ± 0.18 ± 0.27 KeV (assuming helicity 2). We give an upper limit for f ≈ ηη .
We have observed exclusive production of K + K − and K S O K S O pairs and the excitation of the f′(1515) tensor meson in photon-photon collisions. Assuming the f′ to be production in a helicity 2 state, we determine Λ( f ′ → γγ) B( f ′ → K K ) = 0.11 ± 0.02 ± 0.04 keV . The non-strange quark of the f′ is found to be less than 3% (95% CL). For the θ(1640) we derive an upper limit for the product Λ(θ rarr; γγ K K ) < 0.03 keV (95% CL ) .
Using 2674 nb−1 of data taken at s from 5.00 to 7.25 GeV with a trigger sensitive to decays of lower-mass particles produced in two-photon collisions, we have observed 56±12 events consistent with the reaction e+e−→e+e−η, η→γγ. Background has been subtracted using separated-beam data. We obtain Γγγ(η)=0.56±0.16 keV and the pseudoscalar-nonet mixing angle θP=−17.6°±3.6°.
The production of thef0 in two photon collisions, with the subsequent decayf0→π+π− has been observed in the CELLO detector at PETRA. Thef0 peak was found to lie on a dipion continuum and to be shifted downwards in mass by ≃50 MeV/c2. The ππ mass spectrum from 0.8 to 1.5 GeV/c2 was well fitted by the model of Mennessier using only a unitarised Born amplitude and helicity 2f0 amplitude. The previously observed mass shift and distortion of thef0 peak are explained by strong interference between the Born andf0 amplitudes. The only free parameter in the fit of the data to the model is the radiative widthΓγγ(f0). It was found that:Γγγ(f0)=2.5±0.1±0.5 keV where the first (second) quoted errors are statistical (systematic).
We report a measurement of the reaction γγ→K+K−π+π− in both tagged and untagged events at PEP. The cross section rises with invariant γγ mass to about 15 nb at 2 GeV and falls slowly at higher masses. We find clear evidence for the processes γγ→φπ+π− and γγ→K*0(892)Kπ. Upper limits (95% C.L.) of 1.5 and 5.7 nb in the mass range from 1.7 to 3.7 GeV are obtained for φρ0 and K*0K¯*0 production, respectively.
The reaction γγ→π0η has been investigated with the Crystal Ball detector at the DESY storage ring DORIS II. Formation of δ(980) and A2(1320) has been observed with γγ partial widths Γγγ(A2)=1.14±0.20±0.2 6 keV and Γγγ(δ)B(δ→πη)=0.19±0.07 −0.07+0.10 keV.
The two-photon production of the η meson has been observed, and a value has been determined for the two-photon η decay width by a measurement of the cross section σ(e+e−→e+e−η) where η→γγ. The measurement was made with the TPC/Two-Gamma facility at the SLAC e+e− collider PEP, with an accumulated data sample of 64.5 pb−1. The η→γγ events were both triggered and detected by the pole-tip calorimeter. The measured two-photon η decay width is Γη→γγ=0.64±0.14 (statistical) ±0.13 (systematic) keV, in agreement with earlier similarly determined values.