Determination of $f_+^K(0)$ and Extraction of $|V_{cs}|$ from Semileptonic $D$ Decays

TL;DR

This paper performs a comprehensive analysis of $D$ meson semileptonic decays to precisely determine the form factor $f_+^K(0)$ and the CKM matrix element $|V_{cs}|$, improving the accuracy over previous measurements.

Contribution

It provides the most precise determination of $|V_{cs}|$ by combining experimental data and lattice QCD calculations, refining the understanding of semileptonic $D$ decays.

Findings

Measured $f_+^K(0)|V_{cs}|=0.717\u00b10.004$

Determined $|V_{cs}|=0.983\u00b10.011$ with improved precision

Reduced the uncertainty of $|V_{cs}|$ by 45% compared to PDG'2014

Abstract

By globally analyzing all existing measured branching fractions and partial rates in different four momentum transfer-squared $q^2$ bins of $D\to Ke^+\nu_e$ decays, we obtain the product of the form factor and magnitude of CKM matrix element $V_{cs}$ to be $f_+^K(0)|V_{cs}|=0.717\pm0.004$. With this product, we determine the $D\to K$ semileptonic form factor $f_+^K(0)=0.737\pm0.004\pm0.000$ in conjunction with the value of $|V_{cs}|$ determined from the SM global fit. Alternately, with the product together with the input of the form factor $f_+^K(0)$ calculated in lattice QCD recently, we extract $|V_{cs}|^{D\to Ke^+\nu_e}=0.962\pm0.005\pm0.014$, where the error is still dominated by the uncertainty of the form factor calculated in lattice QCD. Combining the $|V_{cs}|^{D_s^+\to\ell^+\nu_\ell}=1.012\pm0.015\pm0.009$ extracted from all existing measurements of $D^+_s\to\ell^+\nu_\ell$ decays and $|V_{cs}|^{D\to Ke^+\nu_e}=0.962\pm0.005\pm0.014$ together, we find the most precisely determined $|V_{cs}|$ to be $|V_{cs}|=0.983\pm0.011$, which improves the accuracy of the PDG'2014 value $|V_{cs}|^{\rm PDG'2014}=0.986\pm0.016$ by $45\%$.