Abstract: We study theoretically the effects of finite volume for pi pi scattering in order to extract physical observables for infinite volume from lattice QCD. We compare three different approaches for pi pi scattering (lowest order Bethe-Salpeter approach, N/D and inverse amplitude methods) with the aim of studying the effects of the finite size of the box in the potential of the different theories, specially the left-hand cut contribution through loops in the crossed t, u-channels. We quantify the error made by neglecting these effects in usual extractions of physical observables from lattice ()CD spectrum. We conclude that for pi pi phase-shifts in the scalar-isoscalar channel up to 800 MeV this effect is negligible for box sizes bigger than 2,5m(pi)(-1) and of the order of 5% at around 1.5 – 2m(pi)(-1). For isospin 2 the finite size effects can reach up to 10% for that energy. We also quantify the error made when using the standard Luscher method to extract physical observables from lattice QCD, which is widely used in the literature but is an approximation of the one used in the present work.

Abstract: We present a computation of B-meson decay constants from lattice QCD simulations within the framework of Heavy Quark Effective Theory for the b-quark. The next-to-leading order corrections in the HQET expansion are included non-perturbatively. Based on N-f = 2 gauge field ensembles, covering three lattice spacings a approximate to (0.08-0.05) fm and pion masses down to 190 MeV, a variational method for extracting hadronic matrix elements is used to keep systematic errors under control. In addition we perform a careful autocorrelation analysis in the extrapolation to the continuum and to the physical pion mass limits. Our final results read f(B) = 186(13) MeV, f(Bs) = 224(14) MeV and f(Bs)/f(B) = 1.203(65). A comparison with other results in the literature does not reveal a dependence on the number of dynamical quarks, and effects from truncating HQET appear to be negligible.

Abstract: We derive relations between finite-volume matrix elements and infinite-volume decay amplitudes, for processes with three spinless, degenerate and either identical or non-identical particles in the final state. This generalizes the Lellouch-Luscher relation for two-particle decays and provides a strategy for extracting three-hadron decay amplitudes using lattice QCD. Unlike for two particles, even in the simplest approximation, one must solve integral equations to obtain the physical decay amplitude, a consequence of the nontrivial finite-state interactions. We first derive the result in a simplified theory with three identical particles, and then present the generalizations needed to study phenomenologically relevant three-pion decays. The specific processes we discuss are the CP-violating K -> 3 pi weak decay, the isospin-breaking eta -> 3 pi QCD transition, and the electromagnetic gamma (*) -> 3 pi amplitudes that enter the calculation of the hadronic vacuum polarization contribution to muonic g – 2.

Abstract: Recently, the formalism needed to relate the finite-volume spectrum of systems of nondegenerate spinless particles has been derived. In this work we discuss a range of issues that arise when implementing this formalism in practice, provide further theoretical results that can be used to check the implementation, and make available codes for implementing the three-particle quantization condition. Specifically, we discuss the need to modify the upper limit of the cutoff function due to the fact that the left-hand cut in the scattering amplitudes for two nondegenerate particles moves closer to threshold; we describe the decomposition of the three-particle amplitude K-df,K-3 into the matrix basis used in the quantization condition, including both s and p waves, with the latter arising in the amplitude for two nondegenerate particles; we derive the threshold expansion for the lightest three-particle state in the rest frame up to O(1/L-5); and we calculate the leading-order predictions in chiral perturbation theory for K-df,K-3 in the pi(+)pi K-+(+) and pi+K+K+ systems. We focus mainly on systems with two identical particles plus a third that is different (“2+1” systems). We describe the formalism in full detail, and present numerical explorations in toy models, in particular checking that the results agree with the threshold expansion, and making a prediction for the spectrum of pi(+)pi K-+(+) levels using the two- and three-particle interactions predicted by chiral perturbation theory.

Abstract: We perform a reanalysis of the energy levels obtained in a recent lattice QCD simulation, from where the existence of bound states of KD and KD* are induced and identified with the narrow D-s0*(2317) and D-s1*(2460) resonances. The reanalysis is done in terms of an auxiliary potential, employing a single-channel basis KD(*()), and a two-channel basis KD(*()), eta D-s(()*()). By means of an extended Luscher method we determine poles of the continuum t-matrix, bound by about 40 MeV with respect to the KD and KD* thresholds, which we identify with the D-s0*(2317) and D-s1*(2460) resonances. Using a sum rule that reformulates Weinberg compositeness condition we can determine that the state D-s0*(2317) contains a KD component in an amount of about 70%, while the state D-s1*(2460) contains a similar amount of KD*. We argue that the present lattice simulation results do not still allow us to determine which are the missing channels in the bound state wave functions and we discuss the necessary information that can lead to answer this question.