Measurements of the branching fractions B ( B ¯ 0 → D * + π - ) and B ( B ¯ 0 → D * + K - ) and tests of QCD factorization
Using (771.6 ± 10.6) × 10 6 $B\overline{B}$ meson pairs recorded by the Belle experiment at the KEKB e + e - collider, we report the branching fractions $\mathscr{B}$($\overline{B}$ 0 → D* + π - ) = (2.62 ± 0.02 ± 0.09 X 10 -3 and $\mathscr{B}$($\overline{B}$ 0 → D* + K - ) = (2.22 ± 0.06 ± 0.08) × 10 -4 ; the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. A measurement of the ratio of these branching fractions is also presented, R K/π = $\mathscr{B}$($\overline{B}$ → D* + K - )/ $\mathscr{B}$($\overline{B}$ → D* + π - ) = (8.41 ± 0.24 ± 0.13) × 10 -2 , where systematic uncertainties due to the D* + meson reconstruction cancel out. Furthermore, we report a new QCD factorization test based on the measured ratios for $\overline{B}$ → D* + h - and $\overline{B}$ → D* + ℓ - $v$ decays at squared momentum transfer values equivalent to the mass of the h = π or K hadron. The parameters |a 1 (h)| are measured to be |a 1 (π)| = 0.884 ± 0.004 ± 0.003 ± 0.016 and |a 1 (K)| = 0.913 ± 0.019 ± 0.008 ± 0.013, where the last uncertainties account for all external inputs. These values are approximately 15% lower than those expected from theoretical predictions. Subsequently, flavor SU(3) symmetry is tested by measuring the ratios for pions and kaons, |a 1 (K)| 2 /|a 1 (π) 2 | = 1.066 ± 0.042 ± 0.018 ± 0.023, as well as for different particle species. The ratio is consistent with unity and therefore no evidence for SU(3) symmetry breaking effects is found at the 5% precision level.