Study of B− → DK−π+π− and B− → Dπ−π+π− decays and determination of the CKM angle γ
Physical Review D American Physical Society 92 (2015) 112005-1
Abstract:
We report a study of the suppressed B-→DK-π+π- and favored B-→Dπ-π+π- decays, where the neutral D meson is detected through its decays to the K π± and CP -even K+K- and π+π- final states. The measurement is carried out using a proton-proton collision data sample collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb-1. We observe the first significant signals in the CP -even final states of the D meson for both the suppressed B-→DK-π+π- and favored B-→Dπ-π+π- modes, as well as in the doubly Cabibbo suppressed D→K+π- final state of the B-→Dπ-π+π- decay. Evidence for the suppressed decay B-→DK-π+π-, with D→K+π-, is also presented. From the observed yields in the B-→DK-π+π-, B-→Dπ-π+π- and their charge conjugate decay modes, the most probable value of the weak phase γ corresponds to γ=(74-19+20)°. This is one of the most precise single-measurement determinations of γ to date.Evidence for the strangeness-changing weak decay Ξ−b → Λ0bπ−
Physical Review Letters American Physical Society 115:241801 (2015)
Abstract:
Using a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb^{-1}, collected by the LHCb detector, we present the first search for the strangeness-changing weak decay Ξ_{b}^{-}→Λ_{b}^{0}π^{-}. No b hadron decay of this type has been seen before. A signal for this decay, corresponding to a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, is reported. The relative rate is measured to be f_{Ξ_{b}^{-}}/f_{Λ_{b}^{0}}B(Ξ_{b}^{-}→Λ_{b}^{0}π^{-})=(5.7±1.8_{-0.9}^{+0.8})×10^{-4},where f_{Ξ_{b}^{-}} and f_{Λ_{b}^{0}} are the b→Ξ_{b}^{-} and b→Λ_{b}^{0} fragmentation fractions, and B(Ξ_{b}^{-}→Λ_{b}^{0}π^{-}) is the branching fraction. Assuming f_{Ξ_{b}^{-}}/f_{Λ_{b}^{0}} is bounded between 0.1 and 0.3, the branching fraction B(Ξ_{b}^{-}→Λ_{b}^{0}π^{-}) would lie in the range from (0.57±0.21)% to (0.19±0.07)%.Future flavour physics experiments
Annalen der Physik Wiley 528:1-2 (2015) 102-107
Abstract:
The current status of flavour physics and the prospects for present and future experiments will be reviewed. Measurements in B-physics, in which sensitive probes of new physics are the CKM angle γ, the Bs mixing phase ϕs, and the branching ratios of the rare decays B(s)0→μ+μ- , will be highlighted. Topics in charm and kaon physics, in which the measurements of ACP and the branching ratios of the rare decays K→πνν¯ are key measurements, will be discussed. Finally the complementarity of the future heavy flavour experiments, the LHCb upgrade and Belle-II, will be summarised.Search for the rare decays B0 → J=ψγ and B0s → J=ψγ
Physical Review D American Physical Society 92 (2015) 112002-1
Abstract:
A search for the rare decay of a B0 or Bs0 meson into the final state J/ψγ is performed, using data collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at s=7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb-1. The observed number of signal candidates is consistent with a background-only hypothesis. Branching fraction values larger than 1.5×10-6 for the B0→J/ψγ decay mode are excluded at 90% confidence level. For the Bs0→J/ψγ decay mode, branching fraction values larger than 7.3×10-6 are excluded at 90% confidence level; this is the first branching fraction limit for this decay.Measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry in Z/γ∗ -> μ+μ− decays and determination of the effective weak mixing angle
Journal of High Energy Physics Springer Verlag 2015:11 (2015) 1-19
Abstract:
The forward-backward charge asymmetry for the process qq̅ → Z/γ∗ → μ+μ− is measured as a function of the invariant mass of the dimuon system. Measurements are performed using proton proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at √s=7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1 fb−1 and 2 fb−1 respectively. Within the Standard Model the results constrain the effective electroweak mixing angle to be
sin2θeffW = 0.23142 ± 0.00073 ± 0.00052 ± 0.00056,
where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third theoretical. This result is in agreement with the current world average, and is one of the most precise determinations at hadron colliders to date.