Identifying a characterized energy level structure of higher charmonium well matched to the peak structures in $e^+e^-\to \pi^+ D^0 D^{*-}$

Abstract

Recent advancements in charmoniumlike state have significantly enriched the discovery of new hadronic states, providing exciting opportunities for further investigations into the fascinating realm of charmonium physics. In this letter, we focus on the vector charmonium family and perform a detailed analysis of the recently observed $e^+e^-\to \pi^+ D^0 D^{*-}$ process. Our findings demonstrate a striking agreement between the observed peak structures and the predicted characterized energy level structure of higher vector charmonia including the $\psi(4220)$, $\psi(4380)$, $\psi(4415)$, and $\psi(4500)$, which are derived from an unquenched potential model. This discovery challenges conventional understanding of higher charmonia above 4 GeV and offers fresh insights into the dynamics of charm and anti-charm quarks in the formation of these states. Furthermore, the identification of these higher charmonia in the precisely measured $\pi^+ D^0D^{*-}$ open-charm decay channel would serve as compelling evidence supporting the unquenched scenario and contribute to a deeper understanding of the nonperturbative aspects of the strong interaction.