Abstract: Quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong force, describes interactions of coloured quarks and gluons and the formation of hadronic matter. Conventional hadronic matter consists of baryons and mesons made of three quarks and quark-antiquark pairs, respectively. Particles with an alternative quark content are known as exotic states. Here a study is reported of an exotic narrow state in the (DD0)-D-0 pi(+) mass spectrum just below the D*+D-0 mass threshold produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The state is consistent with the ground isoscalar T-cc(+), tetraquark with a quark content of cc (u) over bar(d) over bar and spin-parity quantum numbers J(P) =1(+). Study of the DD mass spectra disfavours interpretation of the resonance as the isovector state. The decay structure via intermediate off-shell D*(+) mesons is consistent with the observed D-0 pi(+) mass distribution. To analyse the mass of the resonance and its coupling to the DID system, a dedicated model is developed under the assumption of an isoscalar axial-vector T-cc(+), state decaying to the D*D channel. Using this model, resonance parameters including the pole position, scattering length, effective range and compositeness are determined to reveal important information about the nature of the T-cc(+), state. In addition, an unexpected dependence of the production rate on track multiplicity is observed.

Abstract: The production of Xi(++)(cc) baryons in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13 Tev is measured in the transverse-momentum range 4 < p(T) < 15 GeV/c and the rapidity range 2.0 < y < 4.5. The data used in this measurement correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.7 fb(-1), recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2016. The ratio of the Xi(++)(cc) production cross-section times the branching fraction of the Xi(++)(cc) -> Lambda K-+(c)-pi(+)pi(+) decay relative to the prompt Lambda(+)(c) production cross-section is found to be (2.22 +/- 0.27 +/- 0.29) x 10(-4), assuming the central value of the measured Xi(++)(cc) lifetime, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

Abstract: The first search for the doubly heavy Omega(0)(bc) baryon and a search for the Xi(0)(bc) baryon are performed using collision data collected via the experiment from 2016 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb(-1). The baryons are reconstructed via their decays to Lambda(+)(-)(c)(pi) and Xi(+)(c)pi(-). No significant excess is found for invariant masses between 6700 and 7300 MeV/c(2), in a rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and a transverse momentum range from 2 to 20 MeV/c. Upper limits are set on the ratio of the Omega(0)(bc) and Xi(0)(bc) production cross-section times the branching fraction to Lambda(+)(c)pi(-)(Xi(+)(c)pi(-)) relative to that of the Lambda(0)(b)(Xi(0)(b)) baryon, for different lifetime hypotheses, at 95% confidence level. The upper limits range from 0.5x10(-4) to 2.5x10(-4) for the Omega(0)(bc) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) (Xi(0)(bc) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-)) decay, pending on the considered mass and lifetime of the Omega(0)(bc) (Xi(0)(bc)) baryon.

Abstract: The centrality of heavy-ion collisions is directly related to the created medium in these interactions. A procedure to determine the centrality of collisions with the LHCb detector is implemented for lead-lead collisions root s(NN) = 5 TeV and lead-neon fixed-target collisions at root s(NN) = 69 GeV. The energy deposits in the electromagnetic calorimeter are used to determine and define the centrality classes. The correspondence between the number of participants and the centrality for the lead-lead collisions is in good agreement with the correspondence found in other experiments, and the centrality measurements for the lead-neon collisions presented here are performed for the first time in fixed-target collisions at the LHC.

Abstract: A search for the rare decays W+ -> D-s(+)gamma and Z -> D-0 gamma and is performed using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.0fb(-1). No significant signal is observed for either decay mode and upper limits on their branching fractions are set using W+ -> mu(+)nu and Z ->mu(+)mu(-)decays as normalization channels. The upper limits are and at 95% confidence level for W+ -> D-s(+)gamma and Z -> D-0 gamma the and decay modes, respectively. This is the first reported search for Z -> D-0 gamma the decay, while the upper limit on the Z -> D-0 gamma branching fraction improves upon the previous best limit.