Form factors for the processes $B_c^+ \to D^0 \ell^+ \nu_{\ell}$ and $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \ell^+ \ell^- (\nu \overline{\nu})$ from lattice QCD

TL;DR

This paper reports the first lattice QCD calculations of form factors for specific Bc+ meson decays, providing precise theoretical inputs for decay rates and CKM matrix element extractions.

Contribution

It introduces novel lattice QCD computations of decay form factors across the full kinematic range for Bc+ decays, with continuum extrapolation and physical quark masses.

Findings

Calculated form factors for Bc+ decays across entire q^2 range.

Provided decay width ratios and branching fractions with uncertainties.

Compared results with previous determinations to refine CKM matrix element estimates.

Abstract

We present results of the first lattice QCD calculations of the weak matrix elements for the decays $B_c^+ \to D^0 \ell^+ \nu_{\ell}$, $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \ell^+ \ell^-$ and $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \nu \overline{\nu}$. Form factors across the entire physical $q^2$ range are then extracted and extrapolated to the continuum limit with physical quark masses. Results are derived from correlation functions computed on MILC Collaboration gauge configurations with three different lattice spacings and including 2+1+1 flavours of sea quarks in the Highly Improved Staggered Quark (HISQ) formalism. HISQ is also used for all of the valence quarks. The uncertainty on the decay widths from our form factors is similar in size to that from the present value for $V_{ub}$. We obtain the ratio $\Gamma (B_{c}^{+} \rightarrow D^0 \mu^{+} \nu_{\mu}) /\left|\eta_{\mathrm{EW}} V_{u b}\right|^{2}=4.43(63) \times 10^{12} \mathrm{~s}^{-1}$. Combining our form factors with those found previously by HPQCD for $B_{c}^{+} \rightarrow J / \psi \mu^{+} \nu_{\mu}$, we find $\left|V_{cb}/V_{ub} \right|^2 \Gamma( B_c^+ \to D^0 \mu^+ \nu_\mu )/\Gamma(B_{c}^{+} \rightarrow J / \psi \mu^{+} \nu_{\mu}) = 0.257(36)_{B_c \to D}(18)_{B_c \to J/\psi}$. We calculate the differential decay widths of $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \ell^+ \ell^-$ across the full $q^2$ range, and give integrated results in $q^2$ bins that avoid possible effects from charmonium and $u \overline{u}$ resonances. For example, we find that the ratio of differential branching fractions integrated over the range $q^2 = 1 \; \mathrm{GeV}^2 - 6 \; \mathrm{GeV}^2$ for $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $B_{c}^{+} \rightarrow J / \psi \mu^{+} \nu_{\mu}$ is $5.23{\tiny }(73)_{B_c \to D_s}(54)_{B_c \to J/\psi} \times 10^{-6}$. We also give results for the branching fraction of $B_c^+ \to D_s^+ \nu \overline{\nu}$. Prospects for reducing our errors in the future are discussed.