We explore the possibility of experimentally detecting a predicted $h_1[I^G(J^{PC})=0^{-}(1^{+-})]$ state of hidden charm made out from the $D^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$ interaction. The method consists in measuring the decay of $X(4660)$ into $\eta D^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$ and determining the binding energy with respect to the $D^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$ threshold from the shape of the $D^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$ invariant mass distribution. A complementary method consists in looking at the inclusive $X(4660)\to \eta X$ decay and searching for a peak in the $X$ invariant mass distribution. We make calculations to determine the partial decay width of $X(4660)\to \eta h_1$ from the measured $X(4660)\to \eta D^{*}{\overline{D}}^{*}$ distribution. This estimation should serve in an experiment to foresee the possibility of detecting the $h_1$ state on top of the background of inclusive events.

• Received 12 September 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.88.074027