ΛcProduction frome+e−Annihilation in theϒEnergy Region

Abstract

We have observed ${\Lambda }_c$ baryons in nonresonant $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ annihilation at energies around $\sqrt{s}=10.5\mathrm{}$ GeV through their decay to $\Lambda {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}$. We measure the branching fraction to be (2.8 ± 0.7 ± 1.1)%. The momentum spectrum of the ${\Lambda }_c$ is similar to that of charmed mesons, providing a constraint on models of charmed-quark hadronization.