Observation of Λc+ → Λa0 (980)+ and Evidence for ς (1380)+ in Λc+ → Λπ+η

Based on 6.1 fb-1 of e+e- annihilation data collected at center-of-mass energies from 4.600 to 4.843 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, a partial wave analysis of Λc+→Λπ+η is performed, and branching fractions and decay asymmetry parameters of intermediate processes are determined. The process Λc+→Λa0(980)+ is observed for the first time, and evidence for the pentaquark candidate ς(1380)+ decaying into Λπ+ is found with statistical significance larger than 3σ with mass and width fixed to theoretical predictions. The branching fraction product B[Λc+→Λa0(980)+]B[a0(980)+→π+η] is determined to be (1.05±0.16stat±0.05syst±0.07ext)%, which is larger than theoretical calculations by 1-2 orders of magnitude. Here the third (external) systematic is from B(Λc+→Λπ+η). Finally, we precisely obtain the absolute branching fraction B(Λc+→Λπ+η)=(1.94±0.07stat±0.11syst)%.