Search for CP violation and a measurement of the relative branching fraction in D+ -> K-K+ pi(+) decays

We report on a search for the CP asymmetry in the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays $D^+ \to K^-K^+\pi^+$ and in the resonant decays $D^+ \to \phi\pi^+$ and $D^+ \to \overline{K}^{\star0}K^+$ based on a data sample of 79.9 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the BABAR detector. We use the Cabibbo-favored $D_s^+ \to K^-K^+\pi^+$ branching fraction as normalization in the measurements to reduce systematic uncertainties. The CP asymmetries obtained are $A_{CP}(K^-K^+\pi^{\pm}) = (1.4 \pm 1.0 (stat.) \pm 0.8 (syst.) \times 10^{-2}, A_{CP}(phi pi) = (0.2 +/- 1.5 (stat.) +/- 0.6 (syst.) x 10^-2$, and $A_{CP}(\overline{K}^{\star0} K^{\pm}) = (0.9 \pm 1.7 (stat.) \pm 0.7 (syst.) \times 10^{-2}$. The relative branching fraction $\Gamma(D^+ \to K^-K^+\pi^+)/\Gamma(D^+ \to K^-\pi^+\pi^+)$ is also measured and is found to be $(10.7 \pm 0.1 (stat.) \pm 0.2 (syst.) \times 10^{-2}$.