Photoproduction of Xi off nucleons

The photoproduction reaction $\gamma N \to K K \Xi$ is investigated based on a relativistic meson-exchange model of hadronic interactions. The production amplitude is calculated in the tree-level approximation from relevant effective Lagrangians, whose (coupling constant) parameters are mostly fixed from the empirical data and/or quark models together with SU(3) symmetry considerations. Gauge invariance of the resulting amplitude is maintained by introducing the contact currents by extending the gauge-invariant approach of Haberzettl for one-meson photoproduction to two-meson photoproduction. The role of the intermediate low-lying hyperons and of the intermediate higher-mass hyperon resonances are analyzed in detail. In particular, the basic features of the production of $\Xi^-(1318)$ in $\gamma p \to K^+ K^+ \Xi^-$ and their possible manifestations in the forthcoming experimental data are discussed.