LEPTONIC DECAY WIDTHS OF VECTOR MESONS IN A RELATIVISTIC POTENTIAL MODEL

Abstract

Leptonic decay widths and the corresponding decay constants of neutral vector mesons are calculated in the framework of a square-root potential model of independent quarks. Starting with the assumption that a strong correlation exists between the momenta of the quark and anti-quark inside the meson so as to have their total momenta identically zero in the center-of-mass frame of the meson, we find the quark and anti-quark momentum distribution amplitude which is used to determine the transition probability amplitude for the leptonic decay of mesons. The calculated results for leptonic decay widths and the electromagnetic decay constants for the vector mesons \rho, \omega, \phi and \psi are in good agrement with the corresponding experimental values. The results for the heavy meson \Upsilon are somewhat lower than the experimental values.