A new upper limit for the decay rate $\Gamma (f' \rightarrow \pi \pi )$

Data from an experiment on pi /sup -/p to K/sub S//sup o/K/sub S//sup o/n are used to compare the KK D-wave at the f'(1516) mass with that at the f(1270) mass. The ratio yields an upper limit for f' production by pi pi scattering followed by decay into KK. This limit can be expressed by Gamma (f' to pi pi )/ Gamma (f' to all)<or approximately =1% or Gamma (f' to pi pi )/ Gamma (f to pi pi )<or=1/400; this indicates a suppression of the two-pion decay of the f', stronger than the well-known suppression of the phi (1019) to rho pi decay. (9 refs) .