Search for the Z(4430)(-) at BABAR

Abstract

We report the results of a search for Z(4430)(-) decay to J/psi pi(-) or psi(2S)pi(-) in B--,B-0 -> J/psi pi K--(0,+) and B--,B-0 -> psi(2S)pi K--(0,+) decays. The data were collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider operating at center-of-mass energy 10.58 GeV, and the sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 413 fb(-1). Each K pi(-) mass distribution exhibits clear K*(892) and K-2*(1430) signals, and the efficiency-corrected spectrum is well described by a superposition of the associated Breit-Wigner intensity distributions, together with an S-wave contribution obtained from the LASS I = 1/2 K pi(-) scattering amplitude measurements. Each K pi(-) angular distribution varies significantly in structure with K pi(-) mass, and is represented in terms of low-order Legendre polynomial moments. We find that each J/psi pi(-) or psi(2S)pi(-) mass distribution is well described by the reflection of the measured K pi(-) mass and angular distribution structures. We see no significant evidence for a Z(4430)(-) signal for any of the processes investigated, neither in the total J/psi pi(-) or psi(2S)pi(-) mass distribution, nor in the corresponding distributions for the regions of K pi(-) mass for which observation of the Z(4430)(-) signal was reported. We obtain branching-fraction upper limits B(B--> Z(-)(K) over bar (0), Z(-)-> J/psi pi(-))<1.5x10(-5), B(B-0 -> Z(-)K(+), Z(-)-> J/psi pi(-))<0.4x10(-5), B(B--> Z(-)(K) over bar (0), Z(-)->psi(2S)pi(-))<4.7x10(-5), and B(B-0 -> Z(-)K(+), Z(-)->psi(2S)pi(-))<3.1x10(-5) at 95% confidence level, where the Z(4430)(-) mass and width have been fixed to the reported central values.