Observation of the Semileptonic Decay D-0 -> a(0)(980)(-)e(+)nu(e) and Evidence for D+ -> a(0)(980)(0)e(+)nu(e)

Abstract

Using an e(+)e(-) collision data sample of 2.93 fb(-1) collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV by the BESIII detector at BEPCII, we report the observation of D-0 -> a(0)(980)(-)e(+)nu(e) and evidence for D+ -> a(0)(980)(0)e(+)nu(e) with significances of 6.4 sigma and 2.9 sigma, respectively. The absolute branching fractions are determined to be B(D-0 -> a(0)(980)(-)e(+)nu(e)) x B(a(0)(980)(-) -> eta pi(-)) = [1.33(-0.29)(+0.33)(stat) +/- 0.09(syst)] x 10(-4) and B(D+ -> a(0)(980)(0)e(+)nu(e)) x B(a(0)(980)(0) -> eta pi(0)) = [1.66(-0.66)(+0.81)(stat) +/- 0.11(syst) x 10(-4). This is the first time the a(0)(980) meson has been measured in a D-0 semileptonic decay, which would open one more interesting page in the investigation of the nature of the puzzling a(0)(980) states.