K^0_S production in \tau decays

From a sample of about 160k candidates collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP between 1991 and 1995, lepton decays involving are studied. The associated production in decays is also investigated. The branching ratios are measured for the inclusive decay , where can be anything, and for the exclusive decays The decay is studied for the first time, giving a branching ratio The channels , , , , and are also investigated. In addition, mass spectra in the and final states are analysed to provide information on the intermediate states produced in the decays. Received: 6 January 1998 / Published online: 15 May 1998     

Search for {\rm B_s}^0 oscillations using inclusive lepton events

A search for oscillations is performed using a sample of semileptonic b-hadron decays collected by the ALEPH experiment during 1991–95. Compared to previous inclusive lepton analyses, the proper time resolution and b-flavour mistag rate are significantly improved. Additional sensitivity to mixing is obtained by identifying subsamples of events having a purity which is higher than the average for the whole data sample. Unbinned maximum likelihood amplitude fits are performed to derive a lower limit of at the 95% confidence limit (95% CL). Combining with the ALEPH -based analyses yields at 95% CL. Received: 20 July 1998 / Published online: 19 February 1999     

An upper limit for the \tau–neutrino mass from \tau\rightarrow 5\pi^{\pm}\nu_{\tau} decays

An upper limit for the –neutrino mass has been determined from the decay using data collected with the OPAL detector from 1991 to 1995 in collisions at . A limit of 43.2 MeV at 95% CL is obtained using a two–dimensional method in the invariant mass and energy distribution from 22 selected events. Combining this result with OPAL's previously published measurement using decays, a new combined limit of MeV (95% CL) is obtained. Received: 15 April 1998 / Published online: 12 August 1998     

A study of B meson oscillations using hadronic Z0 decays containing leptons

An event sample enriched in semileptonic decays of b hadrons is selected using an inclusive lepton selection from approximately 3.0 million hadronic Z⁰ decays collected with the OPAL detector. This sample is used to investigate B meson oscillations by reconstructing a proper decay time for the parent of each lepton, using a jet charge method to estimate the production flavour of this parent, and using the lepton charge to tag the decay flavour. We measure the mass difference between the two B⁰ _d mass eigenstates     

A precise measurement of the partial decay width ratio {R_{\mathrm{b}}}^0 = \Gamma_{\mathrm{b\bar{b}}}/\Gamma_{\mathrm{had}}

The partial decay width of the Z to quark pairs has been measured by the DELPHI detector at LEP using data taken in the years 1992 to 1995. Decays of b-hadrons were tagged by several methods using tracks with large impact parameters and/or reconstructed secondary vertices, complemented by event shape variables. Combining these methods in a multivariate analysis the value was obtained, where the production fraction was fixed to its Standard Model value. Received: 18 December 1998 / Revised version: 26 April 1999 / Published online: 3 August 1999     

Interference of Higgs boson resonances in $\mu^ + \mu^- \to\tilde{\chi}^0_i\tilde{\chi}^0_j$ with longitudinal beam polarization

We study the interference of resonant Higgs boson exchange in neutralino production in m⁺ m^-\mu^ + \mu^- annihilation with longitudinally polarized beams. We use the energy distribution of the decay lepton in the process [(c)\tilde]⁰_j ? l^± [(l)\tilde]^-±\tilde{\chi}^0_j \to \ell^{\pm} \tilde{\ell}^\mp to determine the polarization of the neutralinos. In the CP-conserving minimal supersymmetric standard model a non-vanishing asymmetry in the lepton energy spectrum is caused by the interference of Higgs boson exchange channels with different CP-eigenvalues. The contribution of this interference is large if the heavy neutral bosons H and A are nearly degenerate. We show that the asymmetry can be used to determine the couplings of the neutral Higgs bosons to the neutralinos. In particular, the asymmetry allows one to determine the relative phase of the couplings. We find large asymmetries and cross sections for a set of reference scenarios with nearly degenerate neutral Higgs bosons.     

Improved search for $B_{s}^{0} - \overline{B}_{s}^{0}$ oscillations

An improved search for B _s ⁰ oscillations is performed in the ALEPH data sample collected during the first phase of LEP, and reprocessed in 1998. Three analyses based on complementary event selections are presented. First, decays of B _s ⁰ mesons into hadronic flavour eigenstates are fully reconstructed. This selection yields a small sample of candidates with excellent decay length and momentum resolution and hi gh average B _s ⁰ purity. Semileptonic decays with a reconstructed D _s ^- meson provide a second sample with larger statistics, high average B _s ⁰ purity, but a poorer momentum and decay length resolution due to the partial decay reconstruction. Finally, semileptonic b-hadron decays are inclusively selected and yield the data sample with the highest sensitivity to B _s ⁰ oscillations, as the much higher statistics compensate for the low average B _s ⁰ purity and poorer time resolution. A lower limit is set atps^-1 at 95% C.L., significantly lower than the expected limit of 15.2 ps^-1. Received: 21 February 2003 / Published online: 11 June 2003     

Measurements of flavour-dependent fragmentation functions in {\bf Z^{0} \rightarrow{\rm q}\bar{\rm q}} events

Fragmentation functions for charged particles in events have been measured for bottom (b), charm (c) and light (uds) quarks as well as for all flavours together. The results are based on data recorded between 1990 and 1995 using the OPAL detector at LEP. Event samples with different flavour compositions were formed using reconstructed mesons and secondary vertices. The distributions and the position of their maxima are also presented separately for uds, c and b quark events. The fragmentation function for b quarks is significantly softer than for uds quarks. Received: 29 May 1998 / Published online: 25 January 1999     

Study of semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0} \rightarrow \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ in QCD sum rule

In this work we study the semileptonic decay of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) with the QCD sum rule method. We calculate the ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi $ translation form factors relevant to this semileptonic decay, then the branching ratios of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {l}^{+}{l}^{-}$ (l=e, μ, τ) decays are calculated with the form factors obtained here. Our result for the branching ratio of ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ agree very well with the recent experimental data. For the unmeasured decay modes such as ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {e}^{+}{e}^{-}$ and ${\bar{B}}_{s}^{0}\to \phi {\tau }^{+}{\tau }^{-}$, we give theoretical predictions.     

Bose-Einstein correlations of three charged pions in hadronic Z^{\bf 0} decays

Bose-Einstein Correlations (BEC) of three identical charged pions were studied in hadronic decays recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP. The genuine three-pion correlations, corrected for the Coulomb effect, were separated from the known two-pion correlations by a new subtraction procedure. A significant genuine three-pion BEC enhancement near threshold was observed having an emitter source radius of and a strength of . The Coulomb correction was found to increase the value by 9% and to reduce by 6%. The measured corresponds to a value of when one takes into account the three-pion sample purity. A relation between the two-pion and the three-pion source parameters is discussed. Received: 7 May 1998 / Published online: 12 August 1998     

A search for a narrow radial excitation of the $\mathrm{D}^{*\pm}$ Meson

A sample of 3.73 million hadronic Z decays, recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP in the years 1991–95, has been used to search for a narrow resonance corresponding to the decay of the meson into . The mesons are reconstructed in the decay channel with . No evidence for a narrow resonance is found. A limit on the production of narrow in hadronic Z decays is derived: Received: 16 January 2001 / Published online: 28 May 2001     

Measurement of the lifetime of b-baryons

The average lifetime of weakly decaying b-baryons was studied using 3.6 million hadronic decays collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP. The measurement of the proper decay time distribution of secondary vertices was used on three complementary samples. The first sample consisted of events with a fully reconstructed and an opposite charge lepton, or an oppositely charged lepton pair accompanied by a . The other two samples were more inclusive, where b-baryon semileptonic decays were recognized by the presence of either a proton identified by the RICH detector or a and a lepton of charge opposite to that of the proton. The combined result was: Received: 19 February 1999 / Revised version: 6 April 1999 / Published online: 3 August 1999     

Measurement of B d 0 - oscillations

B _d ⁰ meson oscillations are measured in hadronic Z⁰ decays using the charge of a lepton or the mean charge of an event hemisphere to sign the presence of a b or a b? quark when it is produced, and using the charge of a lepton emitted at large pt or of a D*^± to sign the presence of a B or a B? meson when it decays. With 3.2 million hadronic Z⁰ decays registered by DELPHI between 1991 and 1994, the mass difference Δm _d between the two physical B _d ⁰ states is measured in four channels: Taking into account the statistical overlap between these measurements and the common systematic uncertainties, the combined result is:      

Different approaches to calculate the K^{\pm }\rightarrow \pi ^{\pm }\pi ^0e^+e^- decay width

The rare $K^\pm \rightarrow \pi ^\pm \pi ^0 e^+e^-$ decay, currently under analysis by the NA62 Collaboration, is considered. We have followed two theoretical approaches to calculate the differential decay width—in the kaon rest frame, where we use Cabibbo–Maksymowicz variables, and in the center-of-mass system of the lepton pair. The latter essentially simplifies the computations. A comparison between the two approaches has been performed. We have also found the dependencies of the differential decay rate as a function of the virtual photon and dipion system masses.     

Model independent calculation of {\cal{B}}({\bar{B}}^0\rightarrow D^{(*)+} \tau^-{\bar{\nu}})/{\cal{B}}({\bar{B}}^0\rightarrow D^{(*)+} e^-{\bar{\nu}})

Using the formulas for the distribution with non-zero lepton mass and experimentally determined form factors, we calculate the spectra and branching fractions for l = e, and . We obtain the results and . Since we used the experimentally measured form factors, these results are independent of theoretical models of the form factors.     

Two-particle correlations and B^0\overline{B}^0 mixing

We study the EPR correlation implied by the entangled wavefunction of the pair created by the resonance. The analysis uses the basis provided by the mass eigenstates rather than the flavour states . Data on the inclusive dilepton charge ratio are close to the expectation of quantum mechanics, but nearly 8 standard deviations away from that of complete decoherence. Our results are compared with those obtained in the basis. Received: 24 November 1997 / Published online: 10 March 1998     

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 rare annihilation decays $\bar{B}^0_{s,d} \to J/\psi\gamma$

We investigate the physics potential of the annihilation decays in the standard model and beyond. In a naive factorization approach, the branching ratios are estimated to be and . In the framework of QCD factorization, we compute the non-factorizable corrections and get , . Future measurements of these decays would be useful for testing the factorization frameworks. The smallness of these decays in the SM makes them sensitive probes of new physics. As an example, we will consider the possible admixture of the (V + A) charge current to the standard (V-A) current. This admixture will give a significant contribution to the decays.Received: 29 August 2003, Revised: 17 January 2004, Published online: 19 March 2004Corresponding author: Y.D. Yang     

CP asymmetries in decays of the D^{0}-\bar{D}^{0} system revisited

CP violation in neutral D meson decays to the CP eigenstates and non-CP eigenstates is studied systematically within the framework of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa model. The nonleptonic two-body decay processes and the decay processes with semileptonic tagging are discussed in detail and the upper bounds of the direct and indirect CP violation in these decay processes are obtained. A method to measure the mixing parameter [(e)\tilde]\tilde{\epsilon} and to separate the direct and indirect CP violation in the decay processes with semileptonic tagging are also discussed.     

Inclusive semileptonic branching ratios of b hadrons produced in Z decays

A measurement of the inclusive semileptonic branching ratios of b hadrons produced in Z decay is presented, using four million hadronic events collected by the ALEPH detector from 1991 to 1995. Electrons and muons are selected opposite to b-tagged hemispheres. Two different methods are explored to distinguish the contributions from direct and cascade decays to the total lepton yield. One is based on the lepton transverse momentum spectrum, the other makes use of the correlation between the charge of the lepton and charge estimators built from tracks in the opposite hemisphere of the event. The latter method reduces the dependence on the modelling of semileptonic b decays. The results obtained by averaging the two techniques are Received: 1 August 2001 / Published online: 14 December 2001