The use of scattering length of particle-target interaction due to real- valued potential to study the bound states of the particle-target system is well known in nuclear and atomic physics. In view of the current interest in using eta-nucleus scatte
ring length to infer the existence of eta-mesic nucleus, we derive general analytic expressions that relate the binding energy and half-width of an unstable bound state to the complex-valued scattering length due to the same particle-target interaction.
Formation of eta-mesic nucleus, a bound state of an eta meson in a nucleus, is reviewed in this paper. Three different theoretical approaches are used to calculate the binding energies and widths of such nuclei. The effect of eta-mesic nucleus in pio
n double-charge-exchange reaction is discussed. Experimental efforts by different groups to detect the nucleus are also discussed. The ramifications of the theoretical and experimental studies of the bound state of eta in a nucleus are pointed out.
