Probing the structure of f(0)(980) through radiative phi decays

We consider the radiative transition phi --> f(0)gamma, which is a sensitiv e probe of the nature of the f(0)(980) particle. Using the QCD sum-rule tec hnique, we estimate the branching ratio of such decay mode to be: B(phi --> f(0)gamma) = (2.7 +/- 1.1) x 10(-4), in fair agreement with present experi mental data. As for the structure of the fo, the result suggests a sizeable s (s) over bar component; however, this result does not exclude the possib ility of further components and allows a more complex structure than indica ted by the naive quark model. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.