Constraining the Phase of B_s - \bar{B}_s Mixing

Abstract

New physics contributions to B_s-\bar{B}_s mixing can be parametrized by the size (r_s^2) and the phase (2\theta_s) of the total mixing amplitude relative to the Standard Model amplitude. The phase has so far been unconstrained. We first use the D0 measurement of the semileptonic CP asymmetry A_SL to obtain the first constraint on the semileptonic CP asymmetry in B_s decays, A_SL^s=-0.008 \pm 0.011. Then we combine recent measurements by the CDF and D0 collaborations - the mass difference (\Delta M_s), the width difference (\Delta\Gamma_s) and A_SL^s - to constrain 2\theta_s. The errors on \Delta\Gamma_s and A_SL^s should still be reduced to have a sensitive probe of the phase, yet the central values are such that the regions around 2\theta_s ~ 3\pi/2 and, in particular, 2\theta_s ~ \pi/2, are disfavored.