Constraints on charged Higgs bosons from D(s)+- -> mu+- nu and D(s)+- -> tau+- nu

Abstract

The decays D(s)+- -> mu+- nu and D(s)+- -> tau+- nu have traditionally been used to measure the D(s)+- meson decay constant f_D(s). Recent measurements at CLEO-c and the B factories suggest a branching ratio for both decays somewhat higher than the Standard Model prediction using f_D(s) from unquenched lattice calculations. The charged Higgs boson (H+-) in the Two Higgs Doublet Model (Type II) would also mediate these decays, but any sizeable contribution from H+- can only suppress the branching ratios and consequently is now slightly disfavoured. It is shown that constraints on the parameters tan(beta) and m_H+- from such decays can be competitive with and complementary to analogous constraints derived from the leptonic meson decays B+- -> tau+- nu_tau and K+- -> mu+- nu_mu, especially if lattice calculations eventually prefer f_D(s) < 250 MeV.

18 pages, 4 figures