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Search for the deeply bound $K^-pp$ state from the semi-inclusive forward-neutron spectrum in the in-flight $K^-$ reaction on helium-3

An experiment to search for the $K^-pp$ bound state was performed via the in-flight $^3$He($K^-,n)$ reaction using 5.3 $\times$ $10^9$ kaons at 1 GeV/$c$ at the J-PARC hadron experimental facility. In the semi-inclusive neutron missing-mass spectrum at $θ_{n}^{lab}=0^\circ$, no significant peak was observed in the region corresponding to $K^-pp$ binding energy larger than 80 MeV, where a bump structure has been reported in the $Λp$ final state in different reactions. Assuming the state to be isotropically decaying into $Λp$, mass-dependent upper limits on the production cross section were determined to be 30--180, 70--250, and 100--270 $μ$b/sr, for the natural widths of 20, 60, and 100 MeV, respectively, at 95\% confidence level.