Observation of $\Lambda_{b}^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{D}^{(*)0} K^{-}$ and $\Lambda_{b}^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} D_{s}^{*-}$ decays

Abstract

The decays $\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+\bar{D}^{(*)0}K^-$ and $\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ D_s^{*-}$ are observed for the first time, in proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb${}^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector. Their ratios of branching fractions with respect to the $\Lambda_b^0\!\to\Lambda_c^+\mathrm{D}_s^-$ mode are measured to be \begin{align*} \begin{split} \frac{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+\bar{D}^0 K^-)}{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ D_s^-)} & = 0.1908 {}_{-0.0034}^{+0.0036} {}_{-0.0018}^{+0.0016} \pm 0.0038 \frac{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+\bar{D}^{*0} K^-)}{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ D_s^-)} & = 0.589 {}_{-0.017}^{+0.018} {}_{-0.018}^{+0.017} \pm 0.012 \frac{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ D_s^{*-})}{\mathcal{B}(\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ D_s^-)} & = 1.668 \pm 0.022 {}_{-0.055}^{+0.061}\ , \end{split} \end{align*} where the first uncertainties are statistical, the second systematic, and the third, for the $\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ \bar{D}^{(*)0} K^-$ decays, are due to the uncertainties on the branching fractions of the $D_s^- \to K^- K^+ \pi^-$ and $\bar{D}^0 \to K^+\pi^-$ decay modes. The measured branching fractions probe factorization assumptions in effective theories and provide the normalization for future pentaquark searches in $\Lambda_b^0 \to \Lambda_c^+ \bar{D}^{(*)0}K^-$ decay channels.