Observation of the Semileptonic $D^+$ Transition into an Axial-Vector Meson $\bar K_1(1270)^0$

Abstract

By analyzing a 2.93 fb$^{−1}$ data sample of $e^+e^−$ collisions, recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the BESIII detector operated at the BEPCII collider, we have searched for the semileptonic $D^+$ transition into the axial-vector meson ${\bar{K}}_{1}(1270)^{0}$. The $D^{+} \rightarrow {\bar{K}}_{1}(1270)^{0}e^{+}\nu_{e}$ decay is observed for the first time with a statistical significance greater than 10$\sigma$. Its decay branching fraction is determined to be ${\mathcal B}[D^+\to \bar K_1(1270)^0 e^+\nu_e]=(2.30\pm0.26\pm 0.18 \pm 0.25)\times10^{-3}$, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, and the third originates from the input branching fraction of ${\bar{K}}_{1}(1270)^{0} \rightarrow K^{-} \pi^{+} \pi^{0}$.