Evidence for theB0→pp¯K*0andB+→ηcK*+decays and study of the decay dynamics ofBmeson decays intopp¯hfinal states

Abstract

With a sample of 232×106 Υ(4S)→BB¯ events collected with the BABAR detector, we study the decays of B mesons to pp¯h final states, where h=π+, KS0, K*0, or K*+. We report evidence for the B0→pp¯K*0 decay, with a branching fraction (1.47±0.45(stat)±0.40(syst))×10−6, and for the B+→ηcK*+ decay, with the branching fraction of B(B+→ηcK*+)×B(ηc→pp¯)=(1.57−0.45+0.56(stat)−0.36+0.46(syst))×10−6, and provide improved measurements of the branching fractions of the other modes of this type. We also report the measurements of the charge asymmetry consistent with zero in the B+→pp¯π+, B0→pp¯K*0, and B+→pp¯K*+ modes. No evidence is found for the pentaquark candidate Θ+ in the mass range 1.52 to 1.55 GeV/c2, decaying into pKS0, or the glueball candidate fJ(2220) in the mass range 2.2<mpp¯<2.4 GeV/c2, and branching fraction limits are established for both at the 10−7 level.Received 11 July 2007DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.76.092004©2007 American Physical Society