Using a confining, symmetry-preserving regularization of a $\mathrm{vector}\times \mathrm{vector}$ contact interaction, we compute the spectra of ground-state pseudoscalar and vector $(f\overline{g})$ mesons, scalar and axial-vector $(fg)$ diquarks, and $J^P=1/2^{+},3/2^{+}$ $(fgh)$ baryons, where $f,g,h\in \{u,d,s,c,b\}$. The diquark correlations are essentially dynamical and play a key role in formulating and solving the three-valence-quark baryon problems. The baryon spectrum obtained from this largely algebraic approach reproduces the 22 known experimental masses with an accuracy of 2.9(2.4)%. It also possesses the richness of states typical of constituent-quark models, predicting many heavy-quark baryons not yet observed. This study indicates that diquark correlations are an important component of all baryons; and owing to the dynamical character of the diquarks, it is typically the lightest allowed diquark correlation that defines the most important component of a baryon’s Faddeev amplitude.

• Received 11 March 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.034008