Paper detail

Measurements of $e^+e^-\rightarrow η_{\rm c}π^+ π^-π^0$, $η_{\rm c}π^+ π^-$ and $η_{\rm c}π^0γ$ at $\sqrt{s}$ from 4.18 to 4.60\,GeV, and search for a $Z_{\rm c}$ state close to the $D\bar{D}$ threshold decaying to $η_{\rm c}π$ at $\sqrt{s}$ = 4.23 GeV

We study $η_{\rm c}$ production at center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}$ from 4.18 to 4.60 GeV in $e^+e^-$ annihilation data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring, corresponding to 7.3 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. We measure the cross sections of the three different exclusive reactions $e^+e^-\rightarrow η_{\rm c}π^+ π^-π^0$, $e^+e^- \rightarrow η_{\rm c}π^+ π^-$, and $e^+e^- \rightarrow η_{\rm c}π^0γ$. We find significant $η_{\rm c}$ production in $e^+e^-\rightarrow η_{\rm c}π^+ π^-π^0$ at $\sqrt{s}$ of 4.23 GeV and 4.26 GeV and observe a significant energy-dependent Born cross section that we measure to be consistent with the production via the intermediate $Y(4260)$ resonance. In addition, we perform a search for a charmonium-like $Z_{\rm c}$ state close to the $D\bar{D}$ threshold that decays to $η_{\rm c}π$, involving ground state charmonium, and observe no signal. Corresponding upper limits on the cross section of $η_{\rm c}$ and $Z_{\rm c}$ production are provided, where the yields are not found to be significant.