Determination of $|V_{cb}|$ using $B\to D\ell\nu_\ell$ Decays at Belle II

TL;DR

This paper measures the CKM matrix element |V_{cb}| using B to D semileptonic decays at Belle II, employing a large data sample and advanced reconstruction techniques to improve precision and test lepton flavor universality.

Contribution

It provides a new, precise determination of |V_{cb}| from B to D decays using Belle II data, incorporating inclusive neutrino reconstruction and lattice QCD form factors.

Findings

Measured |V_{cb}| as (39.2 ± 0.4 (stat) ± 0.6 (sys) ± 0.5 (th)) × 10^{-3}

Determined branching fractions for B^0 and B^+ decays with improved accuracy

Confirmed lepton flavor universality within measurement uncertainties

Abstract

We present a determination of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element $|V_{cb}|$ from the decay $B\to D\ell\nu_\ell$ using a $365~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ $e^+e^-\to\Upsilon(4S)\to B\bar B$ data sample recorded by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider. The semileptonic decay of one $B$ meson is reconstructed in the modes $B^0\to D^-(\to K^+\pi^-\pi^-)\ell^+\nu_\ell$ and $B^+\to \bar D^0(\to K^+\pi^-)\ell^+\nu_\ell$, where $\ell$ denotes either an electron or a muon. Charge conjugation is implied. The second $B$ meson in the $\Upsilon(4S)$ event is not reconstructed explicitly. Using an inclusive reconstruction of the unobserved neutrino momentum, we determine the recoil variable $w=v_B\cdot v_D$, where $v_B$ and $v_D$ are the 4-velocities of the $B$ and $D$ mesons. We measure the total decay branching fractions to be $\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^-\ell^+\nu_\ell)=(2.06 \pm 0.05\,(\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.10\,(\mathrm{sys.}))\%$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^+\to\bar D^0\ell^+\nu_\ell)=(2.31 \pm 0.04\,(\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.09\,(\mathrm{sys.}))\%$. We probe lepton flavor universality by measuring $\mathcal{B}(B\to De\nu_e)/\mathcal{B}(B\to D\mu\nu_\mu)=1.020 \pm 0.020\,(\mathrm{stat.})\pm 0.022\,(\mathrm{sys.})$. Fitting the partial decay branching fraction as a function of $w$ and using the average of lattice QCD calculations of the $B\to D$ form factor, we obtain $ |V_{cb}|=(39.2\pm 0.4\,(\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.6\,(\mathrm{sys.}) \pm 0.5\,(\mathrm{th.})) \times 10^{-3}$.