Observation of $D^0\to b_1(1235)^- e^+ν_e$ and evidence for $D^+\to b_1(1235)^0 e^+ν_e$

Abstract: By analyzing a data sample of $e^+e^-$ collisions with center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=3.773$ GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $7.9~\rm {fb}^{-1}$ collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, we study semileptonic decays of the $D^{0(+)}$ mesons into the axial-vector meson $b_1(1235)$ via the decay $b_1(1235)\to \omega\pi$. The decay $D^0\to b_1(1235)^-e^{+}\nu_{e}$ is observed with a significance of 5.2$\sigma$ after considering systematic uncertainty, while evidence for the decay $D^+\to b_1(1235)^0 e^+\nu_e$ is obtained with a 3.1$\sigma$ significance. The product branching fractions are determined to be ${\mathcal B}(D^0\to b_{1}(1235)^-e^{+}\nu_{e})\times {\mathcal B} (b_1(1235)^-\to \omega \pi^-) = (0.72\pm0.18^{+0.06}_{-0.08})\times10^{-4}$ and ${\mathcal B}(D^+\to b_{1}(1235)^0e^{+}\nu_{e})\times {\mathcal B} (b_1(1235)^0~\to \omega \pi^0) = (1.16\pm0.44\pm0.16)\times10^{-4}$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The ratio of their partial decay widths is determined to be $\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to b_{1}(1235)^-e^{+}\nu_{e})}{2\Gamma(D^+\to b_{1}(1235)^0e^{+}\nu_{e})}=0.78\pm0.19^{+0.04}_{-0.05}$, which is consistent with unity, predicted by isospin invariance, within uncertainties.