Photoproduction of the $f_1(1285)$ Meson

The f(1)(1285) meson withmass 1281.0 +/- 0.8MeV/c(2) and width 18.4 +/- 1.4MeV (full width at half maximum) was measured for the first time in photoproduction from a proton target using CLAS at Jefferson Lab. Differential cross sections were obtained via the eta pi(+)pi(-), K+(K) over bar (0) pi(-), and (K-K0)pi(+) decay channels from threshold up to a center-of-mass energy of 2.8 GeV. The mass, width, and an amplitude analysis of the eta pi(+)pi(-) final-state Dalitz distribution are consistent with the axial-vector J(P) = 1(+) f(1)(1285) identity, rather than the pseudoscalar 0(-) eta(1295). The production mechanism is more consistent with s-channel decay of a high-mass N* state and not with t-channel meson exchange. Decays to eta pi pi go dominantly via the intermediate a(0)(+/-) (980)pi(-/+) states, with the branching ratio Gamma [a(0)pi (no (K) over barK)]/Gamma[eta pi pi (all)] = 0.74 +/- 0.09. The branching ratios Gamma (K (K) over bar pi)/Gamma(eta pi pi) = 0.216 +/- 0.033 and Gamma (gamma rho(0))/Gamma(eta pi pi) = 0.047 +/- 0.018 were also obtained. The first is in agreement with previous data for the f(1)(1285), while the latter is lower than the world average.