Investigation of Semileptonic BB Meson Decay to P-Wave Charm Mesons

We have studied semileptonic $B$ meson decays with a P-wave charm meson in the final state using 3.29 x 10^6 B\bar{B} events collected by the CLEO~II detector at the Cornell Electron-positron Storage Ring. We find a value for the exclusive semileptonic product branching fraction: Br(B^- -> D_1^0 l^- \bar{\nu}) x Br(D_1^0 -> D^{*+}\pi^-) = (0.373 \pm 0.085 \pm 0.052 \pm 0.024)% and an upper limit for Br(B^- -> D_2^{*0} l^- \bar{\nu}) x Br(D_2^{*0} -> D^{*+}\pi^-) < 0.16%$ (90% C.L.). These results indicate that at least 20% of the total B^- semileptonic rate is unaccounted for by the observed exclusive decays, B^- -> D^0 l^- \bar{\nu}, B^- -> D^{*0} l^- \bar{\nu}, B^- -> D_1^0 l^- \bar{\nu}, and B^- -> D_2^{*0} l^- \bar{\nu}.Comment: 10 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Flavor-Specific Inclusive B Decays to Charm

We have measured the branching fractions for B -> D_bar X, B -> D X, and B -> D_bar X \ell^+ \nu, where ``B'' is an average over B^0 and B^+, ``D'' is a sum over D^0 and D^+, and``D_bar'' is a sum over D^0_bar and D^-. From these results and some previously measured branching fractions, we obtain Br(b -> c c_bar s) = (21.9 $\pm$ 3.7)%, Br(b -> s g) K^- \pi^+) = (3.69 $\pm$ 0.20)%. Implications for the ``B semileptonic decay problem'' (measured branching fraction being below theoretical expectations) are discussed. The increase in the value of Br(b -> c c_bar s) due to $B -> D X$ eliminates 40% of the discrepancy.Comment: 12 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Measurement of Br(D0→K−π+)Br(D^{0}\to K^{-}\pi^{+}) using Partila Reconstruction of Bˉ→D∗+Xℓ−νˉ\bar{B}\to D^{*+}X\ell^{-}\bar{\nu}

We present a measurement of the absolute branching fraction for $D^0 -> K^- pi^+$ using the reconstruction of the decay chain $Bbar -> D^{*+} X l^- nubar$, $D^{*+} -> D^0 pi^+$ where only the lepton and the low-momentum pion from the $D^{*+}$ are detected. With data collected by the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have determined $Br(D^0 -> K^- pi^+)= [3.81 +- 0.15(stat.) +- 0.16(syst.)]$.Comment: 10 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Measurement of the Bˉ→Dℓνˉ\bar{B}\to D\ell\bar{\nu} Partila Width and Form Factor Parameters

We have studied the decay $\bar{B} \to D\ell\bar{\nu}$, where $\ell=e or \mu$. From a fit to the differential decay rate $d\Gamma/dw$ we measure the rate normalization ${\cal F}_D(1)|V_{cb}|$ and form factor slope $\hat{\rho}^2_D$, and, using measured values of $\tau_B$, find $\Gamma(\bar{B} \to D\ell\bar{\nu}) = (12.0 \pm 0.9 \pm 2.1) ns^{-1}$. The resulting branching fractions are ${\cal B}(\bar{B}^0 \to D^+\ell^-\bar{\nu})=(1.87 \pm 0.15 \pm 0.32)$ and ${\cal B}(B^- \to D^0\ell^-\bar{\nu})=(1.94 \pm 0.15 \pm 0.34)$. The form factor parameters are in agreement with those measured in $\bar{B} \to D^*\ell\bar{\nu}$ decays, as predicted by heavy quark effective theory.Comment: 11 pages, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Search for the Decay τ−→4pi−3π+(π0)ντ\tau^{-}\to 4pi^{-}3\pi^{+}(\pi^{0})\nu_{\tau}

We have searched for the decay of the tau lepton into seven charged particles and zero or one pi0. The data used in the search were collected with the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR) and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.61 fb^(-1). No evidence for a signal is found. Assuming all the charged particles are pions, we set an upper limit on the branching fraction, B(tau- -> 4pi- 3pi+ (pi0) nu_tau) < 2.4 x 10^(-6) at the 90% confidence level. This limit represents a significant improvement over the previous limit.Comment: 9 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Measurement of the Branching Fractions of Λc+→pKˉn(π)\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to p\bar{K}n(\pi)

Using data recorded by the CLEO-II detector at CESR, we report new measurements of the branching fractions for the decays of the charmed baryon $\Lambda_c^+$ into $pK^-\pi^+\pi^0$, $p\bar{K}^0$, $p\bar{K}^0\pi^+\pi^-$, and $p\bar{K}^0\pi^0$, all measured relative to $pK^-\pi^+$. The relative branching fractions are $0.67\pm0.04\pm0.11, 0.46\pm0.02\pm0.04,0.52\pm0.04\pm0.05$, and $0.66\pm0.05\pm0.07$ respectively.Comment: 7 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Two-Body B Meson Decays to η\eta and η′\eta^{'} -- Observation of B→ηB\to \eta{'}K$

In a sample of 6.6 million produced B mesons we have observed decays B -> eta' K, with branching fractions BR(B+ -> eta' K+ = 6.5 +1.5 -1.4 +- 0.9) x $10^{-5}$ and BR(B0 -> eta' K0 = 4.7 +2.7 -2.0 +- 0.9) x $10^{-5}$. We have searched with comparable sensitivity for 17 related decays to final states containing an eta or eta' meson accompanied by a single particle or low-lying resonance. Our upper limits for these constrain theoretical interpretations of the B -> eta' K signal.Comment: 12 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Determination of the Michel Parameters and the tau Neutrino Helicity in tau Decay

Using the CLEO II detector at the $e^+e^-$ storage ring CESR, we have determined the Michel parameters $\rho$, $\xi$, and $\delta$ in $\tau^\mp \to l^\mp\nu\bar{\nu}$ decay as well as the tau neutrino helicity parameter $h_{\nu_\tau}$ in $\tau^\mp \to \pi^\mp\pi^0\nu$ decay. From a data sample of $3.02\times 10^6$ tau pairs produced at $\sqrt{s}=10.6 GeV$, using events of the topology $e^+e^- \to \tau^+\tau^- \to (l^\pm\nu\bar{\nu}) (\pi^\mp\pi^0\nu)$ and $e^+e^- \to \tau^+\tau^- \to (\pi^\pm\pi^0\bar{\nu}) (\pi^\mp\pi^0\nu)$, and the determined sign of $h_{\nu_\tau}$, the combined result of the three samples is: $\rho = 0.747\pm 0.010\pm 0.006$, $\xi = 1.007\pm 0.040\pm 0.015$, $\xi\delta = 0.745\pm 0.026\pm 0.009$, and $h_{\nu_\tau} = -0.995\pm 0.010\pm 0.003$. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model V-A interaction.Comment: 18 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Measurement of the Branching Ratios for the Decays of Ds+→ηπ+,η′π+,ηρ+D_{s}^{+}\to \eta\pi^{+}, \eta^{'}\pi^{+}, \eta\rho^{+}, and eta′ρ+eta^{'}\rho^{+}

Using a data sample with integrated luminosity of about 3.9 fb^{-1} collected in e+ e- annihilation with the CLEO-II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have measured the branching ratios for the decay modes Ds -> (eta, eta') pi and Ds -> (eta, eta') rho relative to Ds -> phi pi. These decay modes are among the most common hadronic decays of the Ds's and can be related by factorization to the semileptonic decays Ds -> (eta,eta') l nu. The results obtained are compared with previous CLEO results and with the branching ratios measured for the related semileptonic decays. We also report results on the Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the D+ to the same final states.Comment: 18 page postscript file, postscript file also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN