Charm decays and D0-D̄0 mixing Original Research Article

The LEP1 data sample (4 million hadronic Z decays) recorded by the ALEPH detector is analysed to study charmed particle decays. The measurements of the hadronic branching ratios D0 → K−π+, and of the purely leptonic decays Ds → τν and Ds → μν are presented. The L=1 charmed mesons D∗∗ and View the MathML source are reconstructed in several exclusive decay channels and their production rates are measured. The contributions from charm quark fragmentation and from b hadron decays are disentangled. A study of decays View the MathML source, with D0 decaying D0 → K−π+ and D0 → K+π− is shown. The relative branching ratio View the MathML source is measured and the contribution to D0 → K+π− decay given by D0-D̄0 mixing is extracted with a study of D0 proper time distribution.