Amplitude analysis and branching fraction measurement of the decay $D^0 \to K^+K^-\pi^0\pi^0$

TL;DR

This paper presents the first amplitude analysis of the decay $D^0 o K^+K^- o \pi^0 o \pi^0$, measuring its branching fraction, dominant intermediate process, and polarization, using BESIII data at 3.773 GeV.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed amplitude analysis of this decay, determining relative magnitudes, phases, and polarization of intermediate states.

Findings

Branching fraction of $D^0 o K^+ K^- o \pi^0 o \\pi^0$ measured.

Dominant process is $D^0 o K^{*}(892)^+K^{*}(892)^-$ with a specific branching fraction.

Decay is S-wave dominant with a measured longitudinal polarization fraction.

Abstract

An amplitude analysis of the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decay $D^0 \to K^+ K^- \pi^0 \pi^0$ is performed, for the first time, to determine the relative magnitudes and phases of different intermediate processes. The analysis uses $e^+e^-$ collision data collected with the BESIII detector at the center-of-mass energy 3.773~GeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 $\rm fb^{-1}$. The absolute branching fraction of $D^0 \to K^+ K^- \pi^0 \pi^0$ is measured to be \BF. The dominant intermediate process is $D^0 \to K^{*}(892)^+K^{*}(892)^-$, with a branching fraction of $(2.79 \pm 0.13_{\rm{stat.}} \pm 0.11_{\rm{syst.}}) \times 10^{-3}$. Amplitude analysis reveals that the $D^0 \to K^{*}(892)^+K^{*}(892)^-$ decay is S-wave dominant. The longitudinal polarization fraction of $D^0 \to K^{*}(892)^+ K^{*}(892)^-$ is measured to be $0.468\pm0.046_{\rm{stat.}}\pm0.011_{\rm{syst.}}$.