Measurement of the width difference of B_d mesons

Abstract

We estimate ΔΓ_d/Γ_d, including 1/m_b contributions and part of the next-to-leading order QCD corrections, and find it to be around 0.3%. We show the methods to measure ΔΓ_d/Γ_d by using at least two different final states on the untagged B_d decay. The nonzero width difference can also be used to identify new physics effects and to resolve a twofold discrete ambiguity in the B_d — B̅_d mixing phase. With the high statistics and accurate time resolution of the upcoming LHC experiment, the measurement of ΔΓ_d seems to be possible. This measurement would be important for an accurate measurement of sin 2φ₁ at the LHC. We also derive an upper bound on the value of ΔΓ_d/Γ_d in the presence of new physics.