Observation of a charged charmoniumlike structure in e+e- → (D* (D)over-bar*)±π∓ at √s=4.26 GeV

Abstract

We study the process e(+)e(-) -> (D* (D) over bar*)(+/-)pi(-/+) at a center-of-mass energy of 4.26 GeV using a 827 pb(-1) data sample obtained with the BESIII detector at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider. Based on a partial reconstruction technique, the Born cross section is measured to be (137 +/- 9 +/- 15) pb. We observe a structure near the (D* (D) over bar*)(+/-) threshold in the pi(-/+) recoil mass spectrum, which we denote as the Z(c)(+/-) (4025). The measured mass and width of the structure are (4026.3 +/- 2.6 +/- 3.7) MeV/c(2) and (24.8 +/- 5.6 +/- 7.7) MeV, respectively. Its production ratio sigma(e(+)e(-) -> Z(c)(+/-)(4025)pi(-/+)-> (D* (D) over bar*)(+/-)pi(-/+)/sigma(e(+)e(-) -> (D* (D) over bar*)(+/-)pi(-/+) is determined to be 0.65 +/- 0.09 +/- 0.06. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.