Search for b --> u Transitions in B- to D0(bar)K- and B- to D*0(bar)K-

TL;DR

This paper searches for b to u transitions in B- decays involving D0 and D*0 mesons, setting limits on the amplitude ratios and exploring interference effects to understand the CKM angle gamma.

Contribution

It provides the first limits on the amplitude ratio rB and rB* in B- to D(*)0 K- decays, using a large data sample from BaBar, and accounts for various decay pathways and interference effects.

Findings

Set an upper limit on rB < 0.23 at 90% CL.

Measured rB*^2 to be approximately 4.6 x 10^-3 with uncertainties.

Provided constraints on the CKM angle gamma through amplitude ratios.

Abstract

We report on searches for B- to D0(bar) K- and B- to D*0(bar) K-, with D*0(bar) to D0(bar) pi0 or D*0(bar) to D0(bar) gamma, and D0(bar) to K+ pi- (and charge conjugates). These final states, which we denote as [K+pi-]_D K- and [K+pi-]_D* K-, can be reached through the b --> c transition B- to D(*)0 K- followed by the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed D0 to K+ pi-, or through the b --> u transition B- to D0bar K- followed by the Cabibbo-favored D0bar to K+ pi-, or through interference of the two. Our results are based on 227 million Upsilon(4s) to BBbar decays collected with the BaBar detector at SLAC. We measure the ratio R_Kpi == (Gamma(B+ to [K-pi+]_D K+) + Gamma(B- to [K+pi-]_D K-))/ (Gamma(B+ to [K+pi-]_D K+) + Gamma(B- to [K-pi+]_D K-)) = 0.013 + 0.011 - 0.009, R*_Kpi,D0pi0 == (Gamma(B+ to [K-pi+]_D*(pi0) K+) + Gamma(B- to [K+pi-]_D*(pi0) K-)) (Gamma(B+ to [K+pi-]_D*(pi0) K+) + Gamma(B- to [K-pi+]_D*(pi0) K-)) = -0.001 + 0.010 - 0.006 and R*_Kpi,D0gam == (Gamma(B+ to [K-pi+]_D*(gam) K+) + Gamma(B- to [K+pi-]_D*(gam) K-)) (Gamma(B+ to [K+pi-]_D*(gam) K+) + Gamma(B- to [K-pi+]_D*(gam) K-)) = 0.011 + 0.019 - 0.013. We set R_Kpi < 0.030 (90% C.L.) and from this limit we extract the amplitude ratio rB == |A(B- to D0bar K-)/A(B- to D0 K-)| < 0.23 at the 90% confidence level. This limit is obtained with the most conservative assumptions on the values of the CKM angle gamma and the strong phases in the B and D decay amplitudes. From the measurements of R*_Kpi,D0pi0 and R*_Kpi,D0gam we extract rB*^2 == |A(B- to D*0bar K-)/A(B- to D*0 K-)|^2 = 4.6 + 15.2 - 7.3 x 10-3 and rB*^2<(0.16)^2 at the 90% confidence level.