Measurement of the lifetime of the $B_c^+$ meson using the $B_c^+\rightarrow J/ψπ^+$ decay mode

Abstract

The difference in total widths between the $B_c^+$ and $B^+$ mesons is measured using 3.0fb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the LHCb experiment in 7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass energy proton-proton collisions at the LHC. Through the study of the time evolution of $B_c^+ \rightarrow J/ψπ^+$ and $B^+\rightarrow J/ψK^+$ decays, the width difference is measured to be $$ ΔΓ\equiv Γ_{B_c^+} - Γ_{B^+} = 4.46 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.07mm^{-1}c,$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The known lifetime of the $B^+$ meson is used to convert this to a precise measurement of the $B_c^+$ lifetime, $$τ_{B_c^+} = 513.4 \pm 11.0 \pm 5.7fs,$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

19 pagers, 3 figures