The decay constants of pseudoscalar mesons are calculated in a relativistic quark model which assumes that mesons are made of a valence quark antiquark pair and of an effective vacuum like component. The results are given in terms of quark masses and of some free parameters entering the expression of the internal wave functions of the mesons. By using the pion and kaon decay constants $F_{ \pi^+}=130.7~MeV,~F_{ K^+}=159.8~MeV$ to fix the parameters of the model one gets $60~MeV\leq F_{ D^+}\leq 185~MeV,~95~MeV\leq F_{ D_s}\leq230~MeV,~80~MeV\leq F_{ B^+}\leq205~MeV$ for the light quark masses $m_u=5.1~MeV,~m_d=9.3~MeV,~m_s=175~MeV$ and the heavy quark masses in the range: $1.~GeV\leq m_c\leq1.6~GeV,~4.1~GeV\leq m_b\leq4.5~GeV$. In the case of light neutral mesons one obtains with the same set of parameters $F_{ \pi^0}\approx 138~MeV,~F_\eta\approx~130~MeV,F_{ \eta'} \approx~78~MeV$. The values are in agreement with the experimental data and other theoretical results.
Categories: hep-ph