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Search for a hypothetical gauge boson and dark photons in charmonium transitions

M. Ablikim ¹, M. N. Achasov ^4,c, P. Adlarson ⁷⁸, X. C. Ai ⁸³, R. Aliberti ³⁷, A. Amoroso ^77a,77c, Q. An^60,74,a, Y. Bai ⁵⁹, O. Bakina ³⁸ et al. (BESIII Collaboration)

O. Bakina ³⁸, Y. Ban ^48,h, H.-R. Bao ⁶⁶, V. Batozskaya ^1,46, K. Begzsuren³⁴, N. Berger ³⁷, M. Berlowski ⁴⁶, M. B. Bertani ^30a, D. Bettoni ^31a, F. Bianchi ^77a,77c, E. Bianco^77a,77c, A. Bortone ^77a,77c, I. Boyko ³⁸, R. A. Briere ⁵, A. Brueggemann ⁷¹, H. Cai ⁷⁹, M. H. Cai ^40,k,l, X. Cai ^1,60, A. Calcaterra ^30a, G. F. Cao ^1,66, N. Cao ^1,66, S. A. Cetin ^64a, X. Y. Chai ^48,h, J. F. Chang ^1,60, T. T. Chang ⁴⁵, G. R. Che ⁴⁵, Y. Z. Che ^1,60,66, C. H. Chen ⁹, Chao Chen ⁵⁷, G. Chen ¹, H. S. Chen ^1,66, H. Y. Chen ²¹, M. L. Chen ^1,60,66, S. J. Chen ⁴⁴, S. M. Chen ⁶³, T. Chen ^1,66, X. R. Chen ^33,66, X. T. Chen ^1,66, X. Y. Chen ^12,g, Y. B. Chen ^1,60, Y. Q. Chen ¹⁶, Z. K. Chen ⁶¹, J. C. Cheng ⁴⁷, L. N. Cheng ⁴⁵, S. K. Choi ¹⁰, X. Chu ^12,g, G. Cibinetto ^31a, F. Cossio ^77c, J. Cottee-Meldrum ⁶⁵, H. L. Dai ^1,60, J. P. Dai ⁸¹, X. C. Dai ⁶³, A. Dbeyssi¹⁹, R. E. de Boer ³, D. Dedovich ³⁸, C. Q. Deng ⁷⁵, Z. Y. Deng ¹, A. Denig ³⁷, I. Denisenko ³⁸, M. Destefanis ^77a,77c, F. De Mori ^77a,77c, X. X. Ding ^48,h, Y. Ding ⁴², Y. X. Ding ³², J. Dong ^1,60, L. Y. Dong ^1,66, M. Y. Dong ^1,60,66, X. Dong ⁷⁹, M. C. Du ¹, S. X. Du ⁸³, S. X. Du ^12,g, X. L. Du ⁸³, Y. Y. Duan ⁵⁷, Z. H. Duan ⁴⁴, P. Egorov ^38,b, G. F. Fan ⁴⁴, J. J. Fan ²⁰, Y. H. Fan ⁴⁷, J. Fang ^1,60, J. Fang ⁶¹, S. S. Fang ^1,66, W. X. Fang ¹, Y. Q. Fang^1,60, L. Fava ^77b,77c, F. Feldbauer ³, G. Felici ^30a, C. Q. Feng ^60,74, J. H. Feng ¹⁶, L. Feng ^40,k,l, Q. X. Feng ^40,k,l, Y. T. Feng ^60,74, M. Fritsch ³, C. D. Fu ¹, J. L. Fu ⁶⁶, Y. W. Fu ^1,66, H. Gao ⁶⁶, Y. Gao ^60,74, Y. N. Gao ^48,h, Y. N. Gao ²⁰, Y. Y. Gao ³², Z. Gao ⁴⁵, S. Garbolino ^77c, I. Garzia ^31a,31b, L. Ge ⁵⁹, P. T. Ge ²⁰, Z. W. Ge ⁴⁴, C. Geng ⁶¹, E. M. Gersabeck ⁷⁰, A. Gilman ⁷², K. Goetzen ¹³, J. D. Gong ³⁶, L. Gong ⁴², W. X. Gong ^1,60, W. Gradl ³⁷, S. Gramigna ^31a,31b, M. Greco ^77a,77c, M. H. Gu ^1,60, C. Y. Guan ^1,66, A. Q. Guo ³³, J. N. Guo ^12,g, L. B. Guo ⁴³, M. J. Guo ⁵², R. P. Guo ⁵¹, X. Guo ⁵², Y. P. Guo ^12,g, A. Guskov ^38,b, J. Gutierrez ²⁹, T. T. Han ¹, F. Hanisch ³, K. D. Hao ^60,74, X. Q. Hao ²⁰, F. A. Harris ⁶⁸, C. Z. He ^48,h, K. L. He ^1,66, F. H. Heinsius ³, C. H. Heinz ³⁷, Y. K. Heng ^1,60,66, C. Herold ⁶², P. C. Hong ³⁶, G. Y. Hou ^1,66, X. T. Hou ^1,66, Y. R. Hou ⁶⁶, Z. L. Hou ¹, H. M. Hu ^1,66, J. F. Hu ^58,j, Q. P. Hu ^60,74, S. L. Hu ^12,g, T. Hu ^1,60,66, Y. Hu ¹, Z. M. Hu ⁶¹, G. S. Huang ^60,74, K. X. Huang ⁶¹, L. Q. Huang ^33,66, P. Huang ⁴⁴, X. T. Huang ⁵², Y. P. Huang ¹, Y. S. Huang ⁶¹, T. Hussain ⁷⁶, N. Hüsken ³⁷, N. in der Wiesche ⁷¹, J. Jackson ²⁹, Q. Ji ¹, Q. P. Ji ²⁰, W. Ji ^1,66, X. B. Ji ^1,66, X. L. Ji ^1,60, X. Q. Jia ⁵², Z. K. Jia ^60,74, D. Jiang ^1,66, H. B. Jiang ⁷⁹, P. C. Jiang ^48,h, S. J. Jiang ⁹, X. S. Jiang ^1,60,66, Y. Jiang ⁶⁶, J. B. Jiao ⁵², J. K. Jiao ³⁶, Z. Jiao ²⁵, S. Jin ⁴⁴, Y. Jin ⁶⁹, M. Q. Jing ^1,66, X. M. Jing ⁶⁶, T. Johansson ⁷⁸, S. Kabana ³⁵, N. Kalantar-Nayestanaki⁶⁷, X. L. Kang ⁹, X. S. Kang ⁴², M. Kavatsyuk ⁶⁷, B. C. Ke ⁸³, V. Khachatryan ²⁹, A. Khoukaz ⁷¹, O. B. Kolcu ^64a, B. Kopf ³, M. Kuessner ³, X. Kui ^1,66, N. Kumar ²⁸, A. Kupsc ^46,78, W. Kühn ³⁹, Q. Lan ⁷⁵, W. N. Lan ²⁰, T. T. Lei ^60,74, M. Lellmann ³⁷, T. Lenz ³⁷, C. Li ⁴⁹, C. Li ⁴⁵, C. H. Li ⁴³, C. K. Li ²¹, D. M. Li ⁸³, F. Li ^1,60, G. Li ¹, H. B. Li ^1,66, H. J. Li ²⁰, H. L. Li ⁸³, H. N. Li ^58,j, Hui Li ⁴⁵, J. R. Li ⁶³, J. S. Li ⁶¹, J. W. Li ⁵², K. Li ¹, K. L. Li ^40,k,l, L. J. Li ^1,66, Lei Li ⁵⁰, M. H. Li ⁴⁵, M. R. Li ^1,66, P. L. Li ⁶⁶, P. R. Li ^40,k,l, Q. M. Li ^1,66, Q. X. Li ⁵², R. Li ^18,33, S. X. Li ¹², Shanshan Li ^27,i, T. Li ⁵², T. Y. Li ⁴⁵, W. D. Li ^1,66, W. G. Li ^1,a, X. Li ^1,66, X. H. Li ^60,74, X. K. Li ^48,h, X. L. Li ⁵², X. Y. Li ^1,8, X. Z. Li ⁶¹, Y. Li ²⁰, Y. G. Li ^48,h, Y. P. Li ³⁶, Z. H. Li ⁴⁰, Z. J. Li ⁶¹, Z. X. Li ⁴⁵, Z. Y. Li ⁸¹, C. Liang ⁴⁴, H. Liang ^60,74, Y. F. Liang ⁵⁶, Y. T. Liang ^33,66, G. R. Liao ¹⁴, L. B. Liao ⁶¹, M. H. Liao ⁶¹, Y. P. Liao ^1,66, J. Libby ²⁸, A. Limphirat ⁶², D. X. Lin ^33,66, L. Q. Lin ⁴¹, T. Lin ¹, B. J. Liu ¹, B. X. Liu ⁷⁹, C. X. Liu ¹, F. Liu ¹, F. H. Liu ⁵⁵, Feng Liu ⁶, G. M. Liu ^58,j, H. Liu ^40,k,l, H. B. Liu ¹⁵, H. H. Liu ¹, H. M. Liu ^1,66, Huihui Liu ²², J. B. Liu ^60,74, J. J. Liu ²¹, K. Liu ^40,k,l, K. Liu ⁷⁵, K. Y. Liu ⁴², Ke Liu ²³, L. Liu ⁴⁰, L. C. Liu ⁴⁵, Lu Liu ⁴⁵, M. H. Liu ³⁶, P. L. Liu ¹, Q. Liu ⁶⁶, S. B. Liu ^60,74, W. M. Liu ^60,74, W. T. Liu ⁴¹, X. Liu ^40,k,l, X. K. Liu ^40,k,l, X. L. Liu ^12,g, X. Y. Liu ⁷⁹, Y. Liu ^40,k,l, Y. Liu ⁸³, Y. B. Liu ⁴⁵, Z. A. Liu ^1,60,66, Z. D. Liu ⁹, Z. Q. Liu ⁵², Z. Y. Liu ⁴⁰, X. C. Lou ^1,60,66, H. J. Lu ²⁵, J. G. Lu ^1,60, X. L. Lu ¹⁶, Y. Lu ⁷, Y. H. Lu ^1,66, Y. P. Lu ^1,60, Z. H. Lu ^1,66, C. L. Luo ⁴³, J. R. Luo ⁶¹, J. S. Luo ^1,66, M. X. Luo⁸², T. Luo ^12,g, X. L. Luo ^1,60, Z. Y. Lv ²³, X. R. Lyu ^66,p, Y. F. Lyu ⁴⁵, Y. H. Lyu ⁸³, F. C. Ma ⁴², H. L. Ma ¹, Heng Ma ^27,i, J. L. Ma ^1,66, L. L. Ma ⁵², L. R. Ma ⁶⁹, Q. M. Ma ¹, R. Q. Ma ^1,66, R. Y. Ma ²⁰, T. Ma ^60,74, X. T. Ma ^1,66, X. Y. Ma ^1,60, Y. M. Ma ³³, F. E. Maas ¹⁹, I. MacKay ⁷², M. Maggiora ^77a,77c, S. Malde ⁷², Q. A. Malik ⁷⁶, H. X. Mao ^40,k,l, Y. J. Mao ^48,h, Z. P. Mao ¹, S. Marcello ^77a,77c, A. Marshall ⁶⁵, F. M. Melendi ^31a,31b, Y. H. Meng ⁶⁶, Z. X. Meng ⁶⁹, G. Mezzadri ^31a, H. Miao ^1,66, T. J. Min ⁴⁴, R. E. Mitchell ²⁹, X. H. Mo ^1,60,66, B. Moses ²⁹, N. Yu. Muchnoi ^4,c, J. Muskalla ³⁷, Y. Nefedov ³⁸, F. Nerling ^19,e, Z. Ning ^1,60, S. Nisar^11,m, W. D. Niu ^12,g, Y. Niu ⁵², C. Normand ⁶⁵, S. L. Olsen ^10,66, Q. Ouyang ^1,60,66, S. Pacetti ^30b,30c, X. Pan ⁵⁷, Y. Pan ⁵⁹, A. Pathak ¹⁰, Y. P. Pei ^60,74, M. Pelizaeus ³, H. P. Peng ^60,74, X. J. Peng ^40,k,l, K. Peters ^13,e, K. Petridis ⁶⁵, J. L. Ping ⁴³, R. G. Ping ^1,66, S. Plura ³⁷, V. Prasad ³⁶, F. Z. Qi ¹, H. R. Qi ⁶³, M. Qi ⁴⁴, S. Qian ^1,60, W. B. Qian ⁶⁶, C. F. Qiao ⁶⁶, J. H. Qiao ²⁰, J. J. Qin ⁷⁵, J. L. Qin ⁵⁷, L. Q. Qin ¹⁴, L. Y. Qin ^60,74, P. B. Qin ⁷⁵, X. P. Qin ⁴¹, X. S. Qin ⁵², Z. H. Qin ^1,60, J. F. Qiu ¹, Z. H. Qu ⁷⁵, J. Rademacker ⁶⁵, C. F. Redmer ³⁷, A. Rivetti ^77c, M. Rolo ^77c, G. Rong ^1,66, S. S. Rong ^1,66, F. Rosini ^30b,30c, Ch. Rosner ¹⁹, M. Q. Ruan ^1,60, N. Salone ^46,q, A. Sarantsev ^38,d, Y. Schelhaas ³⁷, K. Schoenning ⁷⁸, M. Scodeggio ^31a, W. Shan ²⁶, X. Y. Shan ^60,74, Z. J. Shang ^40,k,l, J. F. Shangguan ¹⁷, L. G. Shao ^1,66, M. Shao ^60,74, C. P. Shen ^12,g, H. F. Shen ^1,8, W. H. Shen ⁶⁶, X. Y. Shen ^1,66, B. A. Shi ⁶⁶, H. Shi ^60,74, J. L. Shi ^12,g, J. Y. Shi ¹, S. Y. Shi ⁷⁵, X. Shi ^1,60, H. L. Song ^60,74, J. J. Song ²⁰, M. H. Song ⁴⁰, T. Z. Song ⁶¹, W. M. Song ³⁶, Y. X. Song ^48,h,n, Zirong Song ^27,i, S. Sosio ^77a,77c, S. Spataro ^77a,77c, S. Stansilaus⁷², F. Stieler ³⁷, S. S. Su⁴², G. B. Sun ⁷⁹, G. X. Sun ¹, H. Sun ⁶⁶, H. K. Sun ¹, J. F. Sun ²⁰, K. Sun ⁶³, L. Sun ⁷⁹, R. Sun ⁷⁴, S. S. Sun ^1,66, T. Sun ^53,f, Y. C. Sun ⁷⁹, Y. H. Sun ³², Y. J. Sun ^60,74, Y. Z. Sun ¹, Z. Q. Sun ^1,66, Z. T. Sun ⁵², C. J. Tang⁵⁶, G. Y. Tang ¹, J. Tang ⁶¹, J. J. Tang ^60,74, L. F. Tang ⁴¹, Y. A. Tang ⁷⁹, L. Y. Tao ⁷⁵, M. Tat ⁷², J. X. Teng ^60,74, J. Y. Tian ^60,74, W. H. Tian ⁶¹, Y. Tian ³³, Z. F. Tian ⁷⁹, I. Uman ^64b, B. Wang ¹, B. Wang ⁶¹, Bo Wang ^60,74, C. Wang ^40,k,l, C. Wang ²⁰, Cong Wang ²³, D. Y. Wang ^48,h, H. J. Wang ^40,k,l, J. Wang ⁹, J. J. Wang ⁷⁹, J. P. Wang ⁵², K. Wang ^1,60, L. L. Wang ¹, L. W. Wang ³⁶, M. Wang ⁵², M. Wang ^60,74, N. Y. Wang ⁶⁶, S. Wang ^12,g, S. Wang ^40,k,l, T. Wang ^12,g, T. J. Wang ⁴⁵, W. Wang ⁶¹, W. P. Wang ³⁷, X. Wang ^48,h, X. F. Wang ^40,k,l, X. L. Wang ^12,g, X. N. Wang ^1,66, Xin Wang ^27,i, Y. Wang ¹, Y. D. Wang ⁴⁷, Y. F. Wang ^1,8,66, Y. H. Wang ^40,k,l, Y. J. Wang ^60,74, Y. L. Wang ²⁰, Y. N. Wang ⁴⁷, Y. N. Wang ⁷⁹, Yaqian Wang ¹⁸, Yi Wang ⁶³, Yuan Wang ^18,33, Z. Wang ^1,60, Z. Wang ⁴⁵, Z. L. Wang ², Z. Q. Wang ^12,g, Z. Y. Wang ^1,66, Ziyi Wang ⁶⁶, D. Wei ⁴⁵, D. H. Wei ¹⁴, H. R. Wei ⁴⁵, F. Weidner ⁷¹, S. P. Wen ¹, U. Wiedner ³, G. Wilkinson ⁷², M. Wolke⁷⁸, J. F. Wu ^1,8, L. H. Wu ¹, L. J. Wu ^1,66, L. J. Wu²⁰, Lianjie Wu ²⁰, S. G. Wu ^1,66, S. M. Wu ⁶⁶, X. Wu ^12,g, Y. J. Wu ³³, Z. Wu ^1,60, L. Xia ^60,74, B. H. Xiang ^1,66, D. Xiao ^40,k,l, G. Y. Xiao ⁴⁴, H. Xiao ⁷⁵, Y. L. Xiao ^12,g, Z. J. Xiao ⁴³, C. Xie ⁴⁴, K. J. Xie ^1,66, Y. Xie ⁵², Y. G. Xie ^1,60, Y. H. Xie ⁶, Z. P. Xie ^60,74, T. Y. Xing ^1,66, C. J. Xu ⁶¹, G. F. Xu ¹, H. Y. Xu ², M. Xu ^60,74, Q. J. Xu ¹⁷, Q. N. Xu ³², T. D. Xu ⁷⁵, X. P. Xu ⁵⁷, Y. Xu ^12,g, Y. C. Xu ⁸⁰, Z. S. Xu ⁶⁶, F. Yan ²⁴, L. Yan ^12,g, W. B. Yan ^60,74, W. C. Yan ⁸³, W. H. Yan ⁶, W. P. Yan ²⁰, X. Q. Yan ^1,66, H. J. Yang ^53,f, H. L. Yang ³⁶, H. X. Yang ¹, J. H. Yang ⁴⁴, R. J. Yang ²⁰, Y. Yang ^12,g, Y. H. Yang ⁴⁴, Y. Q. Yang ⁹, Y. Z. Yang ²⁰, Z. P. Yao ⁵², M. Ye ^1,60, M. H. Ye^8,a, Z. J. Ye ^58,j, Junhao Yin ⁴⁵, Z. Y. You ⁶¹, B. X. Yu ^1,60,66, C. X. Yu ⁴⁵, G. Yu ¹³, J. S. Yu ^27,i, L. W. Yu ^12,g, T. Yu ⁷⁵, X. D. Yu ^48,h, Y. C. Yu ⁸³, Y. C. Yu ⁴⁰, C. Z. Yuan ^1,66, H. Yuan ^1,66, J. Yuan ³⁶, J. Yuan ⁴⁷, L. Yuan ², M. K. Yuan ^12,g, S. H. Yuan ⁷⁵, Y. Yuan ^1,66, C. X. Yue ⁴¹, Ying Yue ²⁰, A. A. Zafar ⁷⁶, F. R. Zeng ⁵², S. H. Zeng ⁶⁵, X. Zeng ^12,g, Yujie Zeng⁶¹, Y. J. Zeng ^1,66, Y. C. Zhai ⁵², Y. H. Zhan ⁶¹, Shunan Zhang⁷², B. L. Zhang ^1,66, B. X. Zhang ^1,a, D. H. Zhang ⁴⁵, G. Y. Zhang ²⁰, G. Y. Zhang ^1,66, H. Zhang ^60,74, H. Zhang ⁸³, H. C. Zhang ^1,60,66, H. H. Zhang ⁶¹, H. Q. Zhang ^1,60,66, H. R. Zhang ^60,74, H. Y. Zhang ^1,60, J. Zhang ⁶¹, J. J. Zhang ⁵⁴, J. L. Zhang ²¹, J. Q. Zhang ⁴³, J. S. Zhang ^12,g, J. W. Zhang ^1,60,66, J. X. Zhang ^40,k,l, J. Y. Zhang ¹, J. Z. Zhang ^1,66, Jianyu Zhang ⁶⁶, L. M. Zhang ⁶³, Lei Zhang ⁴⁴, N. Zhang ⁸³, P. Zhang ^1,8, Q. Zhang ²⁰, Q. Y. Zhang ³⁶, R. Y. Zhang ^40,k,l, S. H. Zhang ^1,66, Shulei Zhang ^27,i, X. M. Zhang ¹, X. Y. Zhang ⁵², Y. Zhang ¹, Y. Zhang ⁷⁵, Y. T. Zhang ⁸³, Y. H. Zhang ^1,60, Y. P. Zhang ^60,74, Z. D. Zhang ¹, Z. H. Zhang ¹, Z. L. Zhang ³⁶, Z. L. Zhang ⁵⁷, Z. X. Zhang ²⁰, Z. Y. Zhang ⁷⁹, Z. Y. Zhang ⁴⁵, Z. Z. Zhang ⁴⁷, Zh. Zh. Zhang ²⁰, G. Zhao ¹, J. Y. Zhao ^1,66, J. Z. Zhao ^1,60, L. Zhao ¹, L. Zhao ^60,74, M. G. Zhao ⁴⁵, S. J. Zhao ⁸³, Y. B. Zhao ^1,60, Y. L. Zhao ⁵⁷, Y. X. Zhao ^33,66, Z. G. Zhao ^60,74, A. Zhemchugov ^38,b, B. Zheng ⁷⁵, B. M. Zheng ³⁶, J. P. Zheng ^1,60, W. J. Zheng ^1,66, X. R. Zheng ²⁰, Y. H. Zheng ^66,p, B. Zhong ⁴³, C. Zhong ²⁰, H. Zhou ^37,52,o, J. Q. Zhou ³⁶, S. Zhou ⁶, X. Zhou ⁷⁹, X. K. Zhou ⁶, X. R. Zhou ^60,74, X. Y. Zhou ⁴¹, Y. X. Zhou ⁸⁰, Y. Z. Zhou ^12,g, A. N. Zhu ⁶⁶, J. Zhu ⁴⁵, K. Zhu ¹, K. J. Zhu ^1,60,66, K. S. Zhu ^12,g, L. Zhu ³⁶, L. X. Zhu ⁶⁶, S. H. Zhu ⁷³, T. J. Zhu ^12,g, W. D. Zhu ^12,g, W. J. Zhu ¹, W. Z. Zhu ²⁰, Y. C. Zhu ^60,74, Z. A. Zhu ^1,66, X. Y. Zhuang ⁴⁵, J. H. Zou ¹, and J. Zu ^60,74 (BESIII Collaboration)

¹Institute of High Energy Physics, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of China
²Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of China
³Bochum Ruhr-University, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
⁴Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS (BINP), Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
⁵Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA
⁶Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, People’s Republic of China
⁷Central South University, Changsha 410083, People’s Republic of China
⁸China Center of Advanced Science and Technology, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China
⁹China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
¹⁰Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
¹¹COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Defence Road, Off Raiwind Road, 54000 Lahore, Pakistan
¹²Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People’s Republic of China
¹³GSI Helmholtzcentre for Heavy Ion Research GmbH, D-64291 Darmstadt, Germany
¹⁴Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, People’s Republic of China
¹⁵Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, People’s Republic of China
¹⁶Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou 545006, People’s Republic of China
¹⁷Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, People’s Republic of China
¹⁸Hebei University, Baoding 071002, People’s Republic of China
¹⁹Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Staudinger Weg 18, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
²⁰Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, People’s Republic of China
²¹Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, People’s Republic of China
²²Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, People’s Republic of China
²³Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of China
²⁴Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang 421001, People’s Republic of China
²⁵Huangshan College, Huangshan 245000, People’s Republic of China
²⁶Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, People’s Republic of China
²⁷Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People’s Republic of China
²⁸Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
²⁹Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
^30aINFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, I-00044, Frascati, Italy
^30bINFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, INFN Sezione di Perugia, I-06100, Perugia, Italy
^30cINFN Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, University of Perugia, I-06100, Perugia, Italy
^31aINFN Sezione di Ferrara, INFN Sezione di Ferrara, I-44122, Ferrara, Italy
^31bINFN Sezione di Ferrara, University of Ferrara, I-44122, Ferrara, Italy
³²Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010021, People’s Republic of China
³³Institute of Modern Physics, Lanzhou 730000, People’s Republic of China
³⁴Institute of Physics and Technology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Peace Avenue 54B, Ulaanbaatar 13330, Mongolia
³⁵Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Casilla 7D, Arica 1000000, Chile
³⁶Jilin University, Changchun 130012, People’s Republic of China
³⁷Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 45, D-55099 Mainz, Germany
³⁸Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980 Dubna, Moscow region, Russia
³⁹Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen, II. Physikalisches Institut, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 16, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
⁴⁰Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People’s Republic of China
⁴¹Liaoning Normal University, Dalian 116029, People’s Republic of China
⁴²Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, People’s Republic of China
⁴³Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
⁴⁴Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China
⁴⁵Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, People’s Republic of China
⁴⁶National Centre for Nuclear Research, Warsaw 02-093, Poland
⁴⁷North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of China
⁴⁸Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China
⁴⁹Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁰Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, People’s Republic of China
⁵¹Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, People’s Republic of China
⁵²Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People’s Republic of China
⁵³Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁴Shanxi Normal University, Linfen 041004, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁵Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁶Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁷Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁸South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China
⁵⁹Southeast University, Nanjing 211100, People’s Republic of China
⁶⁰State Key Laboratory of Particle Detection and Electronics, Beijing 100049, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
⁶¹Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People’s Republic of China
⁶²Suranaree University of Technology, University Avenue 111, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
⁶³Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
^64aTurkish Accelerator Center Particle Factory Group, Istinye University, 34010, Istanbul, Turkey
^64bTurkish Accelerator Center Particle Factory Group, Near East University, Nicosia, North Cyprus, 99138, Mersin 10, Turkey
⁶⁵University of Bristol, H H Wills Physics Laboratory, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TL, United Kingdom
⁶⁶University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of China
⁶⁷University of Groningen, NL-9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands
⁶⁸University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA
⁶⁹University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, People’s Republic of China
⁷⁰University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom
⁷¹University of Muenster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Strasse 9, 48149 Muenster, Germany
⁷²University of Oxford, Keble Road, Oxford OX13RH, United Kingdom
⁷³University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan 114051, People’s Republic of China
⁷⁴University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
⁷⁵University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People’s Republic of China
⁷⁶University of the Punjab, Lahore-54590, Pakistan
^77aUniversity of Turin and INFN, University of Turin, I-10125, Turin, Italy
^77bUniversity of Turin and INFN, University of Eastern Piedmont, I-15121, Alessandria, Italy
^77cUniversity of Turin and INFN, INFN, I-10125, Turin, Italy
⁷⁸Uppsala University, Box 516, SE-75120 Uppsala, Sweden
⁷⁹Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, People’s Republic of China
⁸⁰Yantai University, Yantai 264005, People’s Republic of China
⁸¹Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People’s Republic of China
⁸²Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, People’s Republic of China
⁸³Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of China

^*Full author list given at the end of the article.
^aDeceased.
^bAlso at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow 141700, Russia.
^cAlso at the Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia.
^dAlso at the NRC “Kurchatov Institute,” PNPI, 188300, Gatchina, Russia.
^eAlso at Goethe University Frankfurt, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
^fAlso at Key Laboratory for Particle Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology, Ministry of Education; Shanghai Key Laboratory for Particle Physics and Cosmology; Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Shanghai 200240, People’s Republic of China.
^gAlso at Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Ion-beam Application (MOE) and Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200443, People’s Republic of China.
^hAlso at State Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of China.
ⁱAlso at School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China.
^jAlso at Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nuclear Science, Institute of Quantum Matter, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
^kAlso at MOE Frontiers Science Center for Rare Isotopes, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People’s Republic of China.
^lAlso at Lanzhou Center for Theoretical Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People’s Republic of China.
^mAlso at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, IBA, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
ⁿAlso at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
^oAlso at Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Staudinger Weg 18, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.
^pAlso at Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.
^qPresent address: Silesian University in Katowice, Chorzow, 41-500, Poland.

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 032009 – Published 17 February, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/76js-7s9f

Abstract

We report a direct search for a new gauge boson, $X$ , with a mass of $17 MeV / c^{2}$ , which could explain the anomalous excess of $e^{+} e^{-}$ pairs observed in the ${}^{8}{Be}$ nuclear transitions. The search is conducted in the charmonium decays $χ_{c J} \to X J / ψ (J = 0, 1, 2)$ via the radiative transition $ψ (3686) \to γ χ_{c J}$ using $(2712.4 \pm 14.3) \times 10^{6} ψ (3686)$ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. No significant signal is observed, and the updated upper limit on the coupling strength of charm quark and the new gauge boson, $ε_{c}$ , is set to be $| ε_{c} | < 1.2 \times 10^{- 2}$ at 90% confidence level. We also report new constraints on the mixing strength $ε$ between the Standard Model photon and dark photon $γ^{'}$ in the mass range from 5 to $300 MeV / c^{2}$ . The upper limits at 90% confidence level vary within $(2.5 - 17.5) \times 10^{- 3}$ depending on the $γ^{'}$ mass.

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Extensions of gauge sector

Article Text

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Phys. Rev. D 113, 032009– Published 17 February, 2026

Vol. 113, Iss. 3 — 1 February 2026

Received 21 October 2025
Accepted 20 January 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/76js-7s9f

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI. Funded by SCOAP³.

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Search for a hypothetical gauge boson and dark photons in charmonium transitions

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