Absolute Measurement of Hadronic Branching Fractions of the D_s^+ Meson

The branching fractions of D_s meson decays serve to normalize many measurements of processes involving charm quarks. Using 298 /pb of e+ e- collisions recorded at a center of mass energy of 4.17 GeV, we determine absolute branching fractions for eight D_s decays with a double tag technique. In particular we determine the branching fraction B(D_s -> K- K+ pi+) = (5.50 +- 0.23 +- 0.16)%, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic respectively. We also provide partial branching fractions for kinematic subsets of the K- K+ pi+ decay mode.

Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of D_s^+ --> tau^+ nu_tau Decay

Using a sample of tagged D_s decays collected near the D^*_s D_s peak production energy in e+e- collisions with the CLEO-c detector, we study the leptonic decay D^+_s to tau^+ nu_tau via the decay channel tau^+ to e^+ nu_e bar{nu}_tau. We measure B(D^+_s to tau^+ nu_tau) = (6.17 +- 0.71 +- 0.34) %, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. Combining this result with our measurements of D^+_s to mu^+ nu_mu and D^+_s to tau^+ nu_tau (via tau^+ to pi^+ bar{nu}_tau), we determine f_{D_s} = (274 +- 10 +- 5) MeV.

Comparison of D --> K_s^0 pi and D --> K_L^0 pi Decay Rates

We present measurements of D -> K0_S pi and D -> K0_L pi branching fractions using 281 pb-1 of psi(3770) data at the CLEO-c experiment. We find that B(D0 -> K0_S pi0) is larger than B(D0 -> K0_L pi0), with an asymmetry of R(D0) = 0.108 +- 0.025 +- 0.024. For B(D+ -> K0_S pi+) and B(D+ -> K0_L pi+), we observe no measurable difference; the asymmetry is R(D+) = 0.022 +- 0.016 +- 0.018. The D0 asymmetry is consistent with the value based on the U-spin prediction A(D0 -> K0 pi0)/A(D0 -> K0bar pi0) = -tan^2(theta_C), where theta_C is the Cabibbo angle.

Measurement of Charm Production Cross Sections in e+e- Annihilation at Energies between 3.97 and 4.26 GeV

Using the CLEO-c detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have measured inclusive and exclusive cross sections for the production of D+, D0 and Ds+ mesons in e+e- annihilations at thirteen center-of-mass energies between 3.97 and 4.26 GeV. Exclusive cross sections are presented for final states consisting of two charm mesons (DD, D*D, D*D*, Ds+Ds-, Ds*+Ds-, and Ds*+Ds*-) and for processes in which the charm-meson pair is accompanied by a pion. No enhancement in any final state is observed at the energy of the Y(4260).

A Study of the Decays D^0 --> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^0 --> K^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ --> pi^0 e^+ nu_e, and D^+ --> barK^0 e^+ nu_e

Using 1.8 million DDbar pairs and a neutrino reconstruction technique, we have studied the decays D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e, D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e, and D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu_e. We find B(D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e) = 0.299(11)(9)%, B(D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu_e) = 0.373(22)(13)%, B(D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e) = 3.56(3)(9)%, and B(D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e) = 8.53(13)(23)%. In addition, form factors are studied through fits to the partial branching fractions obtained in five q^2 ranges. By combining our results with recent unquenched lattice calculations, we obtain |Vcd| = 0.217(9)(4)(23) and |Vcs| = 1.015(10)(11)(106).

A Study of the Semileptonic Charm Decays D^0 --> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ --> pi^0 e^+ nu_e, D^0 --> K^- e^+ nu_e, and D^+ --> barK^0 e^+ nu_e

Using a sample of 1.8 million DDbar meson pairs collected at the psi(3770) with the CLEO-c detector, we study the semileptonic decays D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ u_e, D^0 -> K^- e^+ u_e, and D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e. For the total branching fractions we find B(D^0 -> pi^- e^+ u_e) = 0.299(11)(9)%, B(D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ u_e) = 0.373(22)(13)%, B(D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e) = 3.56(3)(9)%, and B(D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e) = 8.53(13)(23)%, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. In addition, form factors are studied through fits to the partial branching fractions obtained in five q^2 ranges. By combining our results with recent unquenched lattice calculations, we obtain |Vcd| = 0.217(9)(4)(23) and |Vcs| = 1.015(10)(11)(106), where the final error is theoretical.

Measurement of Absolute Hadronic Branching Fractions of D Mesons and e^+ e^- --> D D-bar Cross Sections at the psi(3770)

Using 281 /pb of e^+ e^- collisions recorded at the psi(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at CESR, we determine absolute hadronic branching fractions of charged and neutral D mesons using a double tag technique. Among measurements for three D^0 and six D^+ modes, we obtain reference branching fractions B(D^0 --> K^-pi^+) = (3.891 +- 0.035 +- 0.059 +- 0.035)% and B(D^+ --> K^-pi^+pi^+) = (9.14 +- 0.10 +- 0.16 +- 0.07)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is all systematic errors other than final state radiation (FSR), and the third is the systematic uncertainty due to FSR. We include FSR in these branching fractions by allowing for additional unobserved photons in the final state. Using an independent determination of the integrated luminosity, we also extract the cross sections sigma(e+e- --> D^0 D^0-bar) = (3.66+- 0.03 +- 0.06) nb and sigma(e+e- --> D^+ D^-) = (2.91+- 0.03 +- 0.05) nb at a center of mass energy, E_cm = 3774 +- 1 MeV.

Measurement of the Total Hadronic Cross Section in e+e- Annihilations below 10.56 GeV

Using the CLEO III detector, we measure absolute cross sections for e+e- --> hadrons at seven center-of-mass energies between 6.964 and 10.538 GeV. The values of R, the ratio of hadronic and muon pair production cross sections, are determined within 2% total r.m.s. uncertainty.

Measurement of the eta-Meson Mass using psi(2S) --> eta J/psi

We measure the mass of the eta meson using psi(2S) --> eta J/psi events acquired with the CLEO-c detector operating at the CESR e+e- collider. Using the four decay modes eta --> gamma gamma, 3pi0, pi+pi-pi0, and pi+pi-gamma, we find M(eta)=547.785 +- 0.017 +- 0.057 MeV, in which the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This result has an uncertainty comparable to the two most precise previous measurements and is consistent with that of NA48, but is inconsistent at the level of 6.5sigma with the much smaller mass obtained by GEM.

Measurement of the Decay Constant $f_D{_S^+}$ using $D_S^+ --> ell^+ nu

We measure the decay constant fDs using the Ds -> l+ nu channel, where the l+ designates either a mu+ or a tau+, when the tau+ -> pi+ nu. Using both measurements we find fDs = 274 +-13 +- 7 MeV. Combining with our previous determination of fD+, we compute the ratio fDs/fD+ = 1.23 +- 0.11 +- 0.04. We compare with theoretical estimates.