arXiv subjects

Stefan Meinel

Publications and source records attributed to Stefan Meinel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Properties of the positive and negative parity charm-strange and bottom-strange mesons $D_s$, $D_s^$, $D_{s0}^$, $D_{s1}$, $B_s$, $B_s^$, $B_{s0}^$, $B_{s1}$ from lattice QCD: masses, decay constants, and compositeness

We present a lattice-QCD determination of properties of the lightest scalar, pseudoscalar, vector, and axial-vector heavy-strange mesons. This includes the decay constants of all mesons, and the binding energies and Weinberg compositeness parameters of the positive-parity states. The calculations are performed with domain-wall fermions for the light and strange quarks and anisotropic clover actions for the charm and bottom quarks. We use seven ensembles generated by RBC/UKQCD with pion masses ranging from 431 MeV to 139 MeV and lattice spacings ranging from 0.114 fm to 0.073 fm, which allows us to perform combined chiral and continuum extrapolations. For the negative-parity mesons, we obtain $f_{D_s}=251.4(2.1)(0.4)(2.5)\:{\rm MeV}$, $f_{D_s^*}=272.5(4.3)(1.0)(2.7)\:{\rm MeV}$, $f_{B_s}=228.4(5.8)(0.5)(2.3)\:{\rm MeV}$, $f_{B_s^*}=229.2(4.4)(0.8)(2.3)\:{\rm MeV}$, $f_{D_s^*}/f_{D_s}=1.086(14)(11)$, and $f_{B_s^*}/f_{B_s}=1.003(22)(10)$. In the positive-parity sector, the finite-volume energies and decay constants are extracted using the GEVP from correlation matrices with three different types of hadron interpolating operators, including operators with covariant derivatives and meson-meson-scattering operators at both source and sink. After extrapolation to the physical point, we obtain $f_{D^*_{s0}}=136.6 (8.0)(4.0)(1.4)$ MeV, $f_{D_{s1}}=200 (33)(24)(2)$ MeV, $f_{B^*_{s0}}=207 (12)(8)(2)$ MeV, and $f_{B_{s1}}= 196 (16)(11)(2)$ MeV. Our results for $f_{B^*_{s0}}$ and $f_{B_{s1}}$ are the first from lattice QCD. L\"uscher's method is used to find the infinite-volume bound-state masses. At the physical point, we obtain $m_{D^*_{s0}}-m_D-m_K=-48 (14)(4)$ MeV, $m_{D_{s1}}-m_{D^*}-m_K=-61 (15)(2)$ MeV, $m_{B^*_{s0}}-m_B-m_K= -69 (13)(4)$ MeV, and $m_{B_{s1}}-m_{B^*}-m_K=-77 (10)(5)$ MeV. Our analysis shows consistency with the positive-parity states being predominantly molecular.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2026

Third moments of nucleon unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions from physical-point lattice QCD

Using forward matrix elements of local leading-twist operators, we present a determination of the isovector third Mellin moments $\left< x^2 \right>$ of nucleon unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions. Two lattice QCD ensembles at the physical pion mass are used, which were generated using a tree-level Symanzik-improved gauge action and 2+1 flavor tree-level improved Wilson Clover fermions coupling via 2-level HEX-smearing. Leveraging a wide set of operators, two extraction methods for the matrix elements, and the automatic inclusion of model uncertainties via bootstrapped model averages, we extract values of the third Mellin moments. This is the first direct calculation of these observables performed at the physical pion mass.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2026

$\Xi_b \to \Xi$ form factors from lattice QCD and Standard-Model predictions for $\Xi_b \to \Xi \mu^+\mu^-$ and $\Xi_b \to \Xi \gamma$ decays

We present the first lattice QCD determination of the $\Xi_b \to \Xi$ vector, axial-vector, and tensor form factors, which are relevant for the theory of rare decays including $\Xi_b \to \Xi \ell^+\ell^-$ and $\Xi_b \to \Xi \gamma$. The calculation is performed with 2+1 flavors of domain-wall fermions at three different lattice spacings and pion masses in the range from approximately 430 to 230 MeV. The bottom quark is implemented using an anisotropic clover action. Three-point functions with a wide range of source-sink separations and model averaging are used to extract the ground-state contributions. We fit the dependence of the form factors on the momentum transfer, the pion mass, and the lattice spacing using modified $z$ expansions that account for subthreshold branch cuts, and apply dispersive bounds and asymptotic-behavior constraints to achieve controlled uncertainties in the full semileptonic kinematic region. Using our form factor results, we present Standard-Model predictions for the $\Xi_b^- \to \Xi^- \gamma$ and $\Xi_b^- \to \Xi^- \mu^+\mu^-$ branching fractions and two angular observables.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2026

Binding energy of the $T_{bb}$ tetraquark from lattice QCD with relativistic and nonrelativistic heavy-quark actions

We present a new determination of the $\bar b \bar b u d$ ($J^P=1^+$, $I=0$) tetraquark binding energy using lattice QCD with domain-wall light quarks and a nonperturbatively tuned three-parameter anisotropic-clover ``relativistic'' action for the $b$ quarks. We also perform a direct comparison with a reanalysis of data generated in prior work using a lattice-NRQCD action for the $b$ quarks and otherwise identical parameters. Using the new data with relativistic $b$ quarks from seven different ensembles with multiple lattice spacings and pion masses, we perform combined chiral and continuum extrapolations and obtain $(m_{T_{bb}}-m_B-m_{B^*})_{\rm RHQ}=(-76 \pm 23)$ MeV. For the NRQCD data from five ensembles, we perform chiral-only extrapolations and obtain $(m_{T_{bb}}-m_B-m_{B^*})_{\rm NRQCD}=(-74 \pm 17 \pm 10)$ MeV. The lower magnitude of the results obtained here, compared to the original analysis in Phys. Rev. D 100, 014503 (2019), is due to the use of the symmetric parts of the correlation matrices with local four-quark operators only.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

Efficient lattice QCD computation of radiative-leptonic-decay form factors at multiple positive and negative photon virtualities

In previous work Phys. Rev. D 107, 074507 (2023), we showed that form factors for radiative leptonic decays of pseudoscalar mesons can be determined efficiently and with high precision from lattice QCD using the ``3d method,'' in which three-point functions are computed for all values of the current-insertion time and the time integral is performed at the data-analysis stage. Here, we demonstrate another benefit of the 3d method: the form factors can be extracted for any number of nonzero photon virtualites from the same three-point functions at no extra cost. We present results for the $D_s\to\ellνγ^*$ vector form factor as a function of photon energy and photon virtuality, for both positive and negative virtuality. In our analysis, we separately consider the two different time orderings and the different quark flavors in the electromagnetic current. We discuss in detail the behavior of the unwanted exponentials contributing to the three-point functions, as well as the choice of fit models and fit ranges used to remove them for various values of the virtuality. While positive photon virtuality is relevant for decays to multiple charged leptons, negative photon virtuality suppresses soft contributions and is of interest in QCD-factorization studies of the form factors.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

$B \to ρ\ell \barν$ resonance form factors from $B \to ππ\ell \barν$ in lattice QCD

The decay $B \to ρ\ell \barν$ is an attractive process for determining the magnitude of the smallest CKM matrix element, $|V_{ub}|$, and can provide new insights into the origin of the long-standing exclusive-inclusive discrepancy in determinations of this Standard-Model parameter. This requires a nonperturbative QCD calculation of the $B \to ρ$ form factors $V$, $A_0$, $A_1$, and $A_{12}$. The unstable nature of the $ρ$ resonance has prevented precise lattice QCD calculations of these form factors to date. Here, we present the first lattice QCD calculation of the $B \to ρ$ form factors in which the $ρ$ is treated properly as a resonance in $P$-wave $ππ$ scattering. To this end, we use the Lellouch-Lüscher finite-volume formalism to compute the $B \to ππ$ form factors as a function of both momentum transfer and $ππ$ invariant mass, and then analytically continue to the $ρ$ resonance pole. This calculation is performed with $2+1$ dynamical quark flavors at a pion mass of approximately 320 MeV, and demonstrates a clear path toward results at the physical point.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

$\Xi_c \to \Xi$ form factors from lattice QCD with domain-wall quarks: A new piece in the puzzle of $\Xi_c^0$ decay rates

We present a lattice-QCD determination of the vector and axial-vector form factors that describe the charm-baryon semileptonic decays $\Xi_c\to \Xi \ell^+ \nu_\ell$. The calculation uses a domain-wall action for the up, down, and strange quarks, and an anisotropic clover action for the charm quark. We use four ensembles of gauge-field configurations generated by the RBC and UKQCD collaborations, with lattice spacings between 0.111 and 0.073 fm and pion masses ranging from 430 to 230 MeV. We present Standard-Model predictions for the decay rates and branching fractions of $\Xi_c^0\to \Xi_c^-\ell^+ \nu_\ell$ and $\Xi_c^+\to\Xi_c^0\ell^+ \nu_\ell$ for $\ell=e,\mu$. In particular, we obtain $\Gamma(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- e^+ \nu_e)/|V_{cs}|^2 = 0.2515(73)\text{ ps}^{-1}$ and $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- e^+ \nu_e) = 3.58(12)\:\%$. These values are higher than those predicted by a previous lattice calculation and substantially higher than the experimentally measured values, but consistent with expectations from approximate $SU(3)$ flavor symmetry.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

Predicting the spectrum and decay constants of positive-parity heavy-strange mesons using domain-wall fermions

We present a lattice-QCD calculation of the masses and decay constants of the positive-parity heavy-strange mesons $D^*_{s0}$, $D_{s1}$, $B^*_{s0}$, and $B_{s1}$. The calculations are performed with domain-wall fermions for the light and strange quarks and an anisotropic clover action for the charm and bottom quarks. We use seven different RBC/UKQCD ensembles with pion masses ranging from a near-physical 139 MeV up to 431 MeV. We consider two different analysis types, with or without two-meson operators at the source. We observe the expected below-threshold ground states. The fits without the two-meson operators appear to be more stable, but may overestimate the ground-state energies, while preliminary fits with two-meson operators at the source only appear to underestimate the ground-state energies.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2025

Non-relativistic QCD Study of Excited Bottomonia at Finite Temperatures on a Fine Lattice

The temperature dependence of bottomonium correlators up to the 3S and 3P excited states are presented in the range $T \simeq 133-250$ MeV. These lattice calculations employ the non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) approach for bottom quarks on (2+1)-flavor gauge backgrounds, using the highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) action near the physical point. The study utilizes a fine lattice spacing of 0.0493 fm at all temperatures. Extended bottomonium operators are implemented to achieve optimized overlaps with the targeted excited states, enhancing sensitivity to thermal effects. To probe in-medium modifications of excited bottomonia, we extract thermal widths and in-medium masses from bottomonium correlators, parameterizing the spectral function with a Gaussian ansatz. Our results confirm nonzero thermal widths for various bottomonium states as the temperature increases, while no significant mass shifts are observed. Additionally, we check that the in-medium properties of bottomonia are almost not affected by variations in the choice of extended operators.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

$\bar b \bar b u d$ and $\bar b \bar b u s$ tetraquarks from lattice QCD using symmetric correlation matrices with both local and scattering interpolating operators

We study the $\bar b \bar b u d$ tetraquark with quantum numbers $I(J^P) = 0(1^+)$ as well as the $\bar b \bar b u s$ tetraquark with quantum numbers $J^P = 1^+$ using lattice QCD. We improve on existing work by including both local and scattering interpolating operators on both sides of the correlation functions and use symmetric correlation matrices. This allows not only a reliable determination of the energies of QCD-stable tetraquark ground states, but also of low-lying excited states, which are meson-meson scattering states. The latter is particularly important for future finite-volume scattering analyses. Here, we perform chiral and continuum extrapolations of just the ground-state energies, for which finite-volume effects are expected to be small. Our resulting tetraquark binding energies, $-100 \pm 10\:^{+36}_{-51}\:\:{\rm MeV}$ for $\bar b \bar b u d$ and $-30 \pm 3\:^{+11}_{-31}\:\:{\rm MeV}$ for $\bar b \bar b u s$, are consistent with other recent lattice-QCD predictions.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Moments of Nucleon Unpolarized, Polarized, and Transversity Parton Distribution Functions from Lattice QCD at the Physical Point

The second Mellin moments $\langle x\rangle$ of the nucleon's unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions (PDFs) are computed. Two lattice QCD ensembles at the physical pion mass are used: these were generated using a tree-level Symanzik-improved gauge action and 2+1 flavour tree-level improved Wilson Clover fermions coupling via 2-level HEX-smearing. The moments are extracted from forward matrix elements of local leading twist operators. We determine renomalization factors in RI-(S)MOM and match to $\overline{\mathrm{MS}}$ at scale $2\,\mathrm{GeV}$. Our findings show that operators that exhibit vanishing kinematics at zero momentum can have significantly reduced excited-state contamination. The resulting polarized moment is used to quantify the longitudinal contribution to the quark spin-orbit correlation. All our results agree within two sigma with previous lattice results.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Position-space renormalization schemes for four-quark operators in HQET

X-space schemes are gauge-invariant, regulator-independent renormalization schemes that are defined by requiring position-space correlation functions of gauge invariant operators to be equal to their noninteracting values at particular kinematic points. These schemes can be used to nonperturbatively renormalize composite operators in Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (LQCD), and by computing matching coefficients between the X-space scheme and MSbar in the dimensionally-regulated continuum, matrix elements calculated with LQCD can be converted to MSbar-renormalized matrix elements. Using X-space schemes for Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET) operators has the additional benefit that appropriate ratios of position-space correlation functions cancel the power divergent static-quark self-energy of Lattice HQET nonperturbatively. This work presents the O($α_S$) matching coefficients between X-space renormalized four-quark flavor-nonsinglet HQET operators relevant for the lifetimes of charm- and bottom-hadrons, and four-quark HQET operators relevant for mixing between neutral mesons containing a heavy quark, such as B-Bbar mixing.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Shallow Bound States and Hints for Broad Resonances with Quark Content $\bar{b}\bar{c}ud$ in $B$-$\bar{D}$ and $B^*$-$\bar{D}$ Scattering from Lattice QCD

We present the first determination of the energy dependence of the $B$-$\bar{D}$ and $B^*$-$\bar{D}$ isospin-0, $S$-wave scattering amplitudes both below and above the thresholds using lattice QCD, which allows us to investigate rigorously whether mixed bottom-charm $\bar{b}\bar{c}ud$ tetraquarks exist as bound states or resonances. The scattering phase shifts are obtained using Lüscher's method from the energy spectra in two different volumes. To ensure that no relevant energy level is missed, we use large, symmetric $7 \times 7$ and $8 \times 8$ correlation matrices that include, at both source and sink, $B^{(*)}$-$\bar{D}$ scattering operators with the lowest three or four possible back-to-back momenta in addition to local $\bar{b}\bar{c}ud$ operators. We fit the energy dependence of the extracted scattering phase shifts using effective-range expansions. We observe sharp peaks in the $B^{(*)}$-$\bar{D}$ scattering rates close to the thresholds, which are associated with shallow bound states, either genuine or virtual, a few MeV or less below the $B^{(*)}$-$\bar{D}$ thresholds. In addition, we find hints for resonances with masses of order $100$ MeV above the thresholds and decay widths of order $200$ MeV.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Lattice outlook on $B\toρ\ell\barν$ and $B\to K^\star \ell \ell$

Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) has significantly contributed to our understanding of the CKM matrix through precise determinations of hadronic matrix elements. With advancements in theoretical methodologies and computational resources, investigations can now extend to processes involving QCD-unstable hadrons such as the $ρ$ and $K^\star(892)$. These resonances play vital roles in processes such as weak decays of $B$ mesons, opening new avenues for exploration. Finite-volume lattice QCD techniques involving complex computational methods are used to determine the transition amplitudes. Here, we present preliminary results for $B\toρ\ell\barν$.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Quark flavor physics with lattice QCD

This is an overview of quark flavor physics as presented in a plenary talk at Lattice 2023. In the first part, I discuss the main processes and lattice-QCD inputs used to determine the Wolfenstein parameters of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix. In the second part, I review selected further processes that are being used to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. New results presented at Lattice 2023 are referenced throughout, but detailed discussions are limited to selected work published prior to the conference. QED corrections, inclusive decays on the lattice, and processes involving hadronic resonances are not discussed in detail here, as they were covered in other plenary talks at Lattice 2023 and Lattice 2022.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2023

Dispersive bounds for local form factors in $Λ_b \to Λ$ transitions

We investigate the ten independent local form-factors relevant to the $b$-baryon decay $Λ_b \to Λ\ell^+\ell^-$, combining information of lattice QCD and dispersive bounds. We propose a novel parametrization of the form factors in terms of orthonormal polynomials that diagonalizes the form factor contributions to the dispersive bounds. This is a generalization of the unitarity bounds developed for meson-to-meson form-factors. In contrast to ad-hoc parametrizations of these form factors, our parametrization provides a degree of control of the form-factor uncertainties at large hadronic recoil. This is of phenomenological interest for theoretical predictions of, e.g., $Λ_b\to Λγ$ and $Λ_b\toΛ\ell^+\ell^-$ decay processes.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Status of next-generation $Λ_b \to p, Λ, Λ_c$ form-factor calculations

I present preliminary results of next-generation lattice-QCD calculations of the $Λ_b \to p$, $Λ_b \to Λ$, and $Λ_b \to Λ_c$ form factors based on RBC/UKQCD gauge-field ensembles with 2+1 flavors of domain-wall fermions. Compared to the work published in 2015 and 2016, the new calculations include three additional ensembles (one with 139 MeV pion mass, one with 0.073 fm lattice spacing, and one with another volume) and were performed with a more accurate tuning of the charm and bottom anisotropic clover action parameters.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2023

Form factors for the charm-baryon semileptonic decay $Ξ_c\to Ξ\ell ν$ from domain-wall lattice QCD

Recent experimental progress measuring the branching fractions of the heavy-baryon semileptonic decays $Ξ_c\to Ξ\ell ν$ has stimulated theoretical interest and motivates precise lattice calculations of the form factors. Here we present such a calculation using domain-wall fermions for the up, down, and strange quarks, and an anisotropic clover action for the charm quark. We use four ensembles generated by the RBC and UKQCD collaborations, with lattice spacings between 0.111 and 0.073 fm and pion masses ranging from 420 to 230 MeV. Our preliminary results for the form factors are larger in magnitude than previous lattice results.

hep-lat↗