Study of B0→D*−π+π−π+ and B0→D*−K+π−π+ decays

Abstract

Using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at √s=7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1, the ratio of branching fractions of the B0→D*−π+π−π+ decay relative to the B0→D*−π+ decay is measured to be B(B0→D*−π+π−π+)B(B0→D*−π+)=2.64±0.04(stat)±0.13(syst). The Cabibbo-suppressed decay B0→D*−K+π−π+ is observed for the first time, and the measured ratio of branching fractions is B(B0→D*−K+π−π+)B(B0→D*−π+π−π+)=(6.47±0.37(stat)±0.35(syst))×10−2. A search for orbital excitations of charm mesons contributing to the B0→D*−π+π−π+ final state is also performed, and the first observation of the B0→¯¯¯D1(2420)0π+π− decay is reported with the ratio of branching fractions B(B0→(¯¯¯D1(2420)0→D*−π+)π−π+)B(B0→D*−π+π−π+)=(2.04±0.42(stat)±0.22(syst))×10−2, where the numerator represents a product of the branching fractions B(B0→¯¯¯D1(2420)0π−π+) and B(¯¯¯D1(2420)0→D*−π+).