Flavor-Dependent Dynamical Spin-Orbit Coupling in Light-Front Holographic QCD: A New Approach to Baryon Spectroscopy

Abstract

In this article, we propose a novel extension of Light-Front Holographic Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) to study the effects of spin-orbit coupling on the baryon spectrum by introducing a flavor-dependent dynamical spin-orbit potential. This potential, modulated by the holographic coordinate and quark flavor, accounts for the mass hierarchy of quarks and the nonperturbative dynamics of confinement. By incorporating an exponentially decaying coupling that varies with the confinement scale, we capture the interplay between short-distance and long-distance spin-orbit interactions, particularly for heavy-light baryons. An optional coupling to holographic glueball fields further enriches the model, introducing nonperturbative QCD effects. The resulting modified light-front wave equation predicts flavor-dependent mass splittings and Regge trajectories, offering improved descriptions of both light and heavy baryon spectra. We discuss the implementation, parameter fitting, and testable predictions for experimental validation, particularly for heavy baryons observed at LHCb and Belle II. This approach bridges light and heavy quark dynamics, advancing the holographic modeling of baryon spectroscopy.