Investigating $D_s^+ \to \pi^0 \ell^+ \nu_\ell$ decay process within QCD sum rule approach

In this paper, the semileptonic decays $D_s^+ \to \pi^0\ell^+ \nu_\ell$ with $\ell=(e,\mu)$ are investigated by using the light-cone sum rule approach. Firstly, the neutral meson mixing scheme between $\pi^0$, $\eta$, $\eta^\prime$ and pseudoscalar gluonium $G$ is discussed in a unified way, which leads to the direct connection between two different channels for $D_s^+\to \pi^0\ell^+\nu_\ell$ and $D_s^+ \to \eta\ell^+\nu_\ell$ by the $\pi^0-\eta$ mixing angle. Then we calculated the $D_s\to \pi^0$ transition form factors (TFFs) within QCD light-cone sum rule approach up to next-to-leading order correction. At the large recoil point, we have $f_+^{D_s^+\pi^0}(0)=0.0113_{-0.0019}^{+0.0024}$ and $f_-^{D_s^+\pi^0}(0)=0.0020_{-0.0009}^{+0.0008}$. Furthermore, the TFFs are extrapolated to the whole physical $q^2$-region by using the simplified $z(q^2)$-series expansion. The behaviors of TFFs and related three angular coefficient functions $a_{\theta_\ell}(q^2)$, $b_{\theta_\ell}(q^2)$ and $c_{\theta_\ell}(q^2)$ are given. The differential decay widths for $D_s^+ \to \pi^0\ell^+ \nu_\ell$ with respect to $q^2$ and $\cos\theta_\ell$ are displayed, and also lead to the branching fractions ${\cal B}(D_s^+\to \pi ^0e^+\nu_e) =2.60_{-0.51}^{+0.57}\times 10^{-5}$ and ${\cal B}(D_s^+\to \pi ^0\mu^+\nu _\mu )= 2.58_{-0.51}^{+0.56}\times 10^{-5}$. These results show well agreement with the recent BESIII measurements and theoretical predictions. Then the differential distributions and integrated predictions for three angular observables, {\it i.e.} forward-backward asymmetries, $q^2$-differential flat terms and lepton polarization asymmetry are given separately. Lastly, we estimate the ratio for different decay channels ${\cal R}_{\pi ^0/\eta}^{\ell}=1.108_{-0.071}^{+0.039}\times 10^{-3}$.