Measurement of B(D_s+ -> mu+ nu_mu)/B(D_s+ -> phi mu+ nu_mu) and Determination of the Decay Constant f_{D_s}

Abstract

We have observed $23.2 \pm 6.0_{-0.9}^{+1.0}$ purely-leptonic decays of $D_s^+ -> μ^+ ν_μ$ from a sample of muonic one prong decay events detected in the emulsion target of Fermilab experiment E653. Using the $D_s^+ -> ϕμ^+ ν_μ$ yield measured previously in this experiment, we obtain $B(D_s^+ --> μ^+ ν_μ) / B(D_s^+ --> ϕμ^+ ν_μ) =0.16 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.03$. In addition, we extract the decay constant $f_{D_s}=194 \pm 35 \pm 20 \pm 14 MeV$.