Observation of B⁰ to D^+ D^-, B^- to D⁰ D^- and B^- to D⁰ D^(*-) decays

We report the first observation of the decay modes $B^0 \to D^+ D^-$, $B^- \to D^0 D^-$ and $B^- \to D^0 D^{*-}$ based on 152 $\times$ 10$^6$ $B\bar{B}$ events collected at KEKB. The branching fractions of $B^0 \to D^+ D^-$, $B^- \to D^0 D^-$ and $B^- \to D^0 D^{*-}$ are found to be $(3.21 \pm 0.57 \pm 0.48) \times 10^{-4}$, $(5.62 \pm 0.82 \pm 0.65) \times 10^{-4}$ and $(4.59 \pm 0.72 \pm 0.56) \times 10^{-4}$, respectively. Charge asymmetries in the $B^- \to D^0 D^-$ and $B^- \to D^0 D^{*-}$ channels are consistent with zero.