Search for the decay modes D0 -> e+e-, D0 -> mu+mu-, and D0 -> e mu

Abstract

We present searches for the rare decay modes D0 to e+e-, D0 to mu+mu- and D0 to e mu in continuum e+e- to cbar c events recorded by the BABAR detector in a data sample that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 468 f^-1. These decays are highly GIM suppressed but may be enhanced in several extensions of the Standard Model. Our observed event yields are consistent with the expected backgrounds. An excess is seen in the D0 to mu+mu- channel, although the observed yield is consistent with an upward background fluctuation at the 5% level. Using the Feldman-Cousins method, we set the following 90% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions: B(D0 to e+e-)<1.7 x 10^-7, B(D0 to mu+mu-) within [0.6, 8.1] x 10^-7, and B(D0 to e mu)<3.3 x 10^-7.

12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRD

References in corpus (6)

• A Unified Approach to the Classical Statistical Analysis of Small Signals
• The BABAR Detector
• Rare Charm Decays in the Standard Model and Beyond
• Relating D0-anti-D0 Mixing and D0 -> l+l- with New Physics
• Search for leptonic decays of D0 mesons
• Search for flavor-changing neutral current and lepton-flavor violating decays of D0->l+l-

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Recent Progress in Leptonic and Semileptonic Decays of Charmed Hadrons
• Search for the lepton-flavour violating decay $D^0\to e^{\pm }{\mu }^{\mp }$
• Searching for New Physics in $D^0\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-},e^{+}{e}^{-},{\mu }^{\pm }{e}^{\mp }$ at BES and/or Super Charm-Tau Factory