First search for the weak radiative decays $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \gamma$ and $\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^0 \gamma$

Abstract

We present the first search for the weak radiative decays $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \gamma$ and $\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^0 \gamma$ using a data sample of 980~fb$^{-1}$ collected by the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. There are no evident $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \gamma$ or $\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^0 \gamma$ signals. Taking the decays $\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^- \pi^+$ and $\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- \pi^+$ as normalization channels, the upper limits at 90\% credibility level on the ratios of branching fractions ${\cal B}(\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \gamma)/{\cal B}(\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^{-} \pi^+) < 4.0 \times 10^{-3}$ and ${\cal B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^0 \gamma)/{\cal B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^- \pi^+) < 1.2 \times 10^{-2}$ are determined. We obtain the upper limits at 90\% credibility level on the absolute branching fractions ${\cal B}(\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \gamma) < 2.6 \times 10^{-4}$ and ${\cal B}(\Xi_c^0 \to \Xi^0 \gamma) < 1.8 \times 10^{-4}$.