Systematic Study of Hadronic Molecules in the Heavy-Quark Sector

Abstract

In this work we study the properties of hadronic molecules in the heavy-quark sector. These have become increasingly important since from the beginning of this century a large number of states have been measured that for different reasons do not fit the predictions of simple quark models. In particular we discuss two candidates in the open charm sector, $D_{s0}^*(2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$, and two candidates in the bottomonium sector, $Z_b(10610)$ and $Z_b(10650)$. Theorists have proposed different explanations for these states including tetraquarks, hybrids, hadro-quarkonia and, subject of this work, hadronic molecules. The study of these new states promises to provide insights in an important field of modern physics, the formation of matter by the strong force. Hadronic molecules are bound systems of hadrons in the same way two nucleons form the deuteron. For this the molecular states need to be located close to $S$-wave thresholds of their constituents. The dynamics of their constituents will have a significant impact on the molecules which allows us to make predictions that are unique features of the molecular assignment.