A Study of b --> c and b -->u Interference in the Decay B- --> [K+ pi-]_D K*-

Abstract

Using a sample of 232 x 10^6 Upsilon(4S)--> B B-bar events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-factory we study the decay B- --> [K+ pi-]_D K*- where the K+ pi- is either from a Cabibbo-favored D0-bar decay or doubly-suppressed D0 decay. We measure two observables that are sensitive to the CKM angle gamma; the ratio R of the charge-averaged branching fractions for the suppressed and favored decays; and the charge asymmetry A of the suppressed decays: R=0.046 +/- 0.031(stat.) +/- 0.008(syst.) A=-0.22 +/- 0.61(stat.) +/- 0.17(syst.).