Semileptonic decays of heavy quarks in quantum chromodynamics

We investigate the semileptonic decays of heavy quarks in the leading non-trivial order in quantum chromodynamics. Effects of gluon corrections and the initial quark Fermi motion on the semileptonic rates and decay distributions are calculated. The resulting lepton energy spectrum for the charm semileptonic decay is compared with data to extract the mass of the charm quark. This is combined with the semileptonic branching ratio to predict the charm-quark lifetime. We find the lepton energy spectrum very stable with respect to gluon corrections. Expected spectra from the semileptonic decays of bottom and top quarks are presented. We also study the semileptonic decay process Q → q?v_? + G, involving the emission of a single hard non-collinear gluon. This process should be observable with a branching ratio of a few percent in the decays of top (and heavier) quarks.     

Test of right-handed currents in baryon semileptonic decays

The effect of a right-handed boson on baryon semileptonic decay is considered. The analysis of polarized and unpolarized decays is carried out and it is shown that the best place to look for a right-handed current (RHC) signature is in polarized baryon decay. However, our results are useful for high statistics experiments. In order to see the contribution of the right-handed currents in the case of unpolarized hyperon decay, the Cabibbo theory should be assumed.     

Fifth quark and dimuon production by neutrinos

It is shown that the recent experiment data on dimuon production by neutrinos and antineutrinos, even with currently available statistics and uncertainties, set a severe upper bound on the semileptonic decay branching ratio of a fifth quark, if any. With this semileptonic branching ratio, production of the b quark is suspicious theoretically.     

Semileptonic decay of B-meson into D and the Bjorken sum rule

We study the semileptonic branching fraction of the B-meson into the higher resonance of the charmed meson D^** by using the Bjorken sum rule and the heavy quark effective theory (HQET). This sum rule and the current experiment of the B-meson semileptonic decay into D and D^* predict that the branching ratio D^**lν_l is about 1.7%. This predicted value is larger than the value obtained by various models.     

Investigation of the semileptonic weak decays of B (s) to S (Scalar Meson) via light-cone QCD sum rules

In this paper, the semileptonic weak decay process of B _(s) → S scalar mesons is investigated by using the light-cone QCD sum rules (LCSR) in the nonperturbative part. The corresponding transition matrix elements leading to form factors and the branching ratio of this process are determined.     

Measurement of the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching ratio of B mesons and determination of |V ub|

We report a measurement of the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching fraction of B mesons in a sample of 89 x 10(6) (-)BB events recorded with the BABAR detector at the Upsilon(4S) resonance. Events are selected by fully reconstructing the decay of one B meson and identifying a charged lepton from the decay of the other B meson. The number of signal events is extracted from the mass distribution of the hadronic system accompanying the lepton and is used to determine the ratio of branching fractions B((-)B-->X(u)lnu;)/B((-)B-->Xlnu;)=[2.06+/-0.25(stat)+/-0.23(syst)+/-0.36(theo)]x10(-2). Using the measured branching fraction for inclusive semileptonic B decays, we find B((-)B-->X(u)lnu;)=[2.24+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.26(syst)+/-0.39(theo)]x10(-3) and derive the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |V(ub)|=[4.62+/-0.28(stat)+/-0.27(syst)+/-0.48(theo)]x10(-3).     

Search for anomalous production of acoplanar di-lepton events in {\rm e^+e^-} collisions at \sqrt{s} = 183 and 189 GeV

A selection of di-lepton events with significant missing transverse momentum has been performed using a total data sample of 237.4 pb at centre-of-mass energies of approximately 183 GeV and 189 GeV. The observed numbers of events – 78 at 183 GeV and 301 at 189 GeV – are consistent with the numbers expected from Standard Model processes, which arise predominantly from production with both W bosons decaying leptonically. This topology is also an experimental signature for the pair production of new particles that decay to a charged lepton accompanied by one or more invisible particles. Discrimination techniques are described that optimise the sensitivity to particular new physics channels. No evidence for new phenomena is apparent. Upper limits on the production cross-section times branching ratio squared for sleptons and for leptonically decaying charginos and charged Higgs are presented in a manner intended to minimise the number of model assumptions. Assuming a 100% branching ratio for the decay , where is the lightest neutralino, we exclude at 95% CL: right-handed smuons with masses below 82.3 GeV for GeV and right-handed staus with masses below 81.0 GeV for GeV. Right-handed selectrons are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 87.1 GeV for GeV, within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model assuming GeV and . Charged Higgs bosons, H, are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 82.8 GeV, assuming a 100% branching ratio for the decay . Received: 6 September 1999 / Published online: 6 April 2000     

The Λc and its inclusive nonleptonic decay

The inclusive nonleptonic decay of the Λ_c⁺ is reanalyzed using a nonrelativistic quark model representation of the Λ_c⁺- wavefunction. It is shown that the same approximation which leads to the familiar spectator and annihilation type contributions naturally also gives interference terms as a direct consequence of Fermi statistics. Numerical estimates which include these novel contributions, are presented for the Λ_c⁺ lifetime and semileptonic branching ratio.     

Remarks on the lifetime of charmed baryonΛ c +

The interference andW-exchange contributions toΛ _c ⁺ inclusive nonleptonic decay rate are expressed in terms of matrix elements of effective fourquark operators and evaluated in the MIT bag model. It is found that although theW-exchange is not necessarily subject to helicity and color suppression, it does not suffice to explain the measured lifetime ofΛ _c ⁺. The observed semileptonic branching ratio ofΛ _c ⁺, however, requires that its inclusive decay rate be dominated by the nonspectator contribution and thus theW-exchange be substantially enhanced by some nonperturbative effects. The implication for exclusive two-body decays ofΛ _c ⁺ is briefly discussed.     

Inclusive charmed-baryon decays and lifetimes

We have quantitatively reanalyzed the inclusive charmed-baryon decays. New ingredients are the Voloshin preasymptotic effects in semileptonic decays and the Cabibbo-subleading contributions to both semileptonic and nonleptonic decays. It has been found that the Cabbibo-subleading Voloshin contribution essentially improves the theoretical semileptonic branching ratio of , in agreement with experiment. The semileptonic branching ratios for and are found to be large, i.e., of the order of 20%. The lifetimes hierarchy is in a good qualitative and even quantitative agreement with experiment except for the lifetime, which is somewhat smaller than the experimental value. Future measurements, especially measurements of the semileptonic branching ratios for , and should be decisive for the check of this approach. Received: 29 April 1997 / Revised version: 25 June 1997 / Published online: 20 February 1998     

Charm production in 400 GeV/c proton-emulsion interactions: Bombay-Chandigarh-Delhi-Jammu Collaboration

5032 proton-emulsion interactions at 400 GeV/c momentum have been carefully scrutinized for production and decay of charged charm particles. In order to detect these decays, shower tracks from 3056 stars have been followed to a maximum length of 1 mm and those from 1976 stars up to 2 mm. A total of 23 three-prong charm-like candidates have been recorded in the forward cone. The background due to γ-overlap on a shower track, trident/pseudo-trident production and secondary interactions is estimated to be 15. Attributing the signal of 8 events to Λ_c⁺ and assuming the branching ratio of Λ_c⁺ → 3 prong to be 0.6 and τ_Λc to be 10^?13 sec we obtain the production cross section to be 106±39μb/nucleon. Out of these 8 events one example of semileptonic decay of Λ_c⁺ is seen.     

Investigation of quark-hadron duality in semileptonicB-meson decays

This paper is devoted to the analytical calculation of the lepton spectrum with a restriction on the mass of produced hadron system in semileptonicB-meson decays. Using this analytical dependence, it is shown that the quark-hadron duality in semileptonicB-meson decays could be violated up to 25–30%, and this fact has influence on the semileptonic branching ratio.     

Semileptonic B<Subscript>s</Subscript>→D<Subscript>sJ</Subscript>(2460)lν decay in QCD

Using three point QCD sum rule methods, the form factors relevant to semileptonic B_s→D_sJ(2460)ℓν decay are calculated. The q² dependences of these form factors are evaluated and compared with the heavy quark effective theory predictions. The dependence of the asymmetry parameter α, characterizing the polarization of the D_sJ meson, on q² is studied. The branching ratio of this decay is also estimated, and it is shown that it can easily be detected at LHC.     

Form factors,branching ratio and forward–backward asymmetry in B→K<Subscript>1</Subscript>ℓ<Superscript>+</Superscript>ℓ<Superscript>-</Superscript> decays

We study long-distance effects in the rare exclusive semileptonic decays B→K₁ℓ⁺ℓ^-, where K₁ is the axial vector meson. The form factors describing the meson transition amplitudes of the effective Hamiltonian are calculated using the Ward identities, which are then used to calculate the branching ratio and the forward–backward asymmetry in these decay modes. The zero of the forward–backward asymmetry is of special interest and provides us with a precision test of the standard model.     

Charged Higgs effects on exclusive semi-tauonicB decays

We study effects of charged Higgs boson exchange in theB semileptonic decays $\bar B \to D^{(*)} \tau \bar v_\tau $ . Both branching ratio and τ polarization are examined. We use the recent experimental data on semileptonicB decays and the heavy quark effective theory in order to reduce theoretical uncertainty in the hadronic form factors. Theoretical uncertainty in the branching ratio is found to be rather small and that in the τ polarization is almost negligible. Their measurements will give nontrivial constraints on the charged Higgs sector.     

Production of orbitally excited charm mesons in semileptonic B decays

A sample of 3.6 million hadronic Z decays recorded between 1991 and 1995 with the ALEPH detector at LEP is used to investigate semileptonic decays of B mesons into final states involving orbitally excited charm mesons. Topological vertex criteria are used to search for decays involving narrow D** states as well as wide D** resonances and non-resonant D(*)π final states. The sum of the branching ratios for these processes is measured to be ${? Br}({?erline {? B}}?ghtarrow {? D}? ?l^{-}{?erline v}) + {? Br}({?erline {? B}}?ghtarrow {? D}^{?t}? ?l^{-}{?erline v})?op =(2.26 pm 0.29({? stat}) pm 0.33({? syst}))%,$which accounts for a significant fraction of the deficit between inclusive measurements and the sum of exclusive semileptonic B decay modes.     

Measurements of inclusive semileptonic branching fractions of b hadrons in \boldmath Z^0z decays

A measurement of inclusive semileptonic branching fractions of b hadrons produced in Z decays is presented. An enriched Z sample is obtained with a lifetime flavour-tagging technique. The leptonic events are then selected from this sample, and classified according to their origin, which is determined by comparing the distribution of several kinematic variables using artificial neural network techniques. Using 3.6 million multihadronic events collected with the OPAL detector at energies near the Z resonance, the values are measured, where b denotes all weakly decaying b hadrons and represents either e or . The second error includes all experimental systematic uncertainties whereas the last error is due to uncertainties in modelling of the lepton momentum spectrum in semileptonic decays and b quark fragmentation. The average fraction of the beam energy carried by the weakly decaying b hadron, , is measured to be where the modelling error is dominated by the choice of b fragmentation model. The agreement between data and various semileptonic decay models and fragmentation functions is also investigated. Received: 11 June 1999 / Published online: 3 February 2000     

Dimuon events and neutral currents

An apparent anomalous μ⁺-production, νN → μ⁺ + anything, would be observed as one of the characteristic effects of neutral current. A charm changing neutral current enhances this single muon (μ⁺) production. The μ⁺-events are caused by the same mechanism as the dimuon events, which are assumed to be produced by the semileptonic decay of charmed hadrons.     

Inclusive decays and lifetimes of doubly-charmed baryons

The analysis of singly-charmed hadrons has been extended to the case of doubly-charmed baryons, , and . Doubly-charmed baryons are described as a system containing a heavy cc diquark and a light quark, as in the case of a heavy–light meson. This leads to preasymptotic effects in semileptonic and nonleptonic decays that are essentially proportional to the meson wave function. Interplay between preasymptotic effects in semileptonic and/or nonleptonic decay rates leads to very clear predictions for semileptonic branching ratios and lifetimes of doubly-charmed baryons. Received: 21 January 1999 / Published online: 20 May 1999     

Tests of various models for the weak decays of heavy flavour states

It is discussed how two models which were proposed to explain the lifetime difference betweenD ⁰ andD ⁺ mesons can be subjected to further tests. These two models are the “SU (4) 20-plet dominance” model and the “gluon bremstrahlung” model forW exchange. The tests can be performed by studying inclusive decays—e.g.,F ⁺ lifetime or semi-leptonic branching ratio—or special exclusive modes in the non-leptonic and semileptonic decays. It is suggested thatF ⁺ semi-leptonic decays can lead to glueball production. The decays of bottom mesons are discussed in this context, too.