Accessing the strong interaction between Λ baryons and charged kaons with the femtoscopy technique at the LHC

The interaction between Λ baryons and kaons/antikaons is a crucial ingredient for the strangeness S=0 and S=-2 sector of the meson-baryon interaction at low energies. In particular, the Λ{overline{K}} might help in understanding the origin of states such as the Ξ(1620), whose nature and properties are still under debate. Experimental data on Λ-{K} and Λ-{overline{K}} systems are scarce, leading to large uncertainties and tension between the available theoretical predictions constrained by such data. In this Letter we present the measurements of Λ-K^+oplus overlineΛ-K^- and Λ-K^-oplus overlineΛ-K^+ correlations obtained in the high-multiplicity triggered data sample in pp collisions at s=13 TeV recorded by ALICE at the LHC. The correlation function for both pairs is modeled using the Lednicky-Lyuboshits analytical formula and the corresponding scattering parameters are extracted. The Λ-K^-oplus overlineΛ-K^+ correlations show the presence of several structures at relative momenta k^* above 200 MeV/c, compatible with the Ω baryon, the Ξ(1690), and Ξ(1820) resonances decaying into Λ-K^- pairs. The low k^* region in the Λ-K^-oplus overlineΛ-K^+ also exhibits the presence of the Ξ(1620) state, expected to strongly couple to the measured pair. The presented data allow to access the ΛK^+ and ΛK^- strong interaction with an unprecedented precision and deliver the first experimental observation of the Ξ(1620) decaying into ΛK^-.