Measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa angle gamma in B+/--->D*K+/- decays with a Dalitz analysis of D-->K0(S)pi-pi+

We report on a measurement of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa CP-violating phase gamma through a Dalitz analysis of neutral D decays to K0(S)pi-pi+ in the processes B+/- -->D*K+/-, D*-->Dpi0, Dgamma. Using a sample of 227 x 10(6) BB pairs collected by the BABAR detector, we measure the amplitude ratios r(B)=0.12+/-0.03+/-0.04 and r*(B)=0.17+/-0.10+/-0.03+/-0.03, the relative strong phases delta(B)=(104+/-45(+17+16)(-21-24))degrees and delta*(B)=(-64+/-41(+14)(-12)+/-15) degrees between the amplitudes A(B- -->D*0K-) and A(B- -->D*0)K-), and gamma=(70+/-31(+12+14)(-10-11))degrees. The first error is statistical, the second is the experimental systematic uncertainty, and the third reflects the Dalitz model uncertainty. The results for the strong and weak phases have a twofold ambiguity.     

Rare B decays into states containing a J/psi meson and a meson with s(-)s quark content

We report a study of the B meson decays, B+ --> J/psiphiK+, B0 --> J/psiphiK(0)(S), B0 --> J/psiphi, B0 --> J/psieta, and B0 --> J/psieta' using 56 x 10(6) B(-)B events collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e(+)e(-) asymmetric-energy storage ring. We measure the branching fractions B(B+ --> J/psiphiK+)=(4.4+/-1.4(stat)+/-0.5(syst))x 10(-5) and B(B0 --> J/psiphiK(0)(S))=(5.1+/-1.9(stat)+/-0.5(syst))x 10(-5), and set upper limits at 90% confidence level for the branching fractions B(B0 --> J/psiphi)<9.2 x 10(-6), B(B0 --> J/psieta)<2.7 x 10(-5), and B(B0 --> J/psieta')<6.3 x 10(-5).     

Rates, polarizations, and asymmetries in charmless vector-vector B meson decays

With a sample of approximately 89 x 10(6) B(-)B pairs collected with the BABAR detector, we perform a search for B meson decays into pairs of charmless vector mesons (phi, rho, and K*). We measure the branching fractions, determine the degree of longitudinal polarization, and search for CP violation asymmetries in the processes B+-->phiK(*+), B0-->phiK(*0), B+-->rho(0)K(*+), and B+-->rho(0)rho(+). We also set an upper limit on the branching fraction for the decay B0-->rho(0)rho(0).     

Measurements of the branching fractions and bounds on the charge asymmetries of charmless three-body charged B decays

We present measurements of branching fractions and charge asymmetries for charmless B-meson decays to three-body final states of charged pions and kaons. The analysis uses 81.8 fb(-1) of data collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric B Factory. We measure the branching fractions B(B+-->pi(+)pi(-)pi(+))=(10.9+/-3.3+/-1.6)x10(-6), B(B+-->K+pi(-)pi(+))=(59.1+/-3.8+/-3.2)x10(-6), and B(B+-->K+K-K+)=(29.6+/-2.1+/-1.6)x10(-6) and provide 90% C.L. upper limits for other decays. We observe no charge asymmetries for these modes.     

Measurement of the B0-->phiK*0 decay amplitudes

With a sample of about 227x10(6) BB pairs recorded with the BABAR detector we perform a full angular analysis of the decay B0-->phiK(*0)(892). We make novel measurements of five parameters sensitive to CP violation. We also measure the branching fraction to be (9.2+/-0.9+/-0.5)x10(-6) and determine the fractions of longitudinal and parity-odd transverse contributions as f(L)=0.52+/-0.05+/-0.02 and f( perpendicular)=0.22+/-0.05+/-0.02. The phases of the parity-even and parity-odd transverse amplitudes relative to the longitudinal amplitude are found to be phi( parallel)=2.34(+0.23)(-0.20)+/-0.05 rad and phi( perpendicular)=2.47+/-0.25+/-0.05 rad. We also observe the decay B0-->phiK(*0)(1430).     

Observation of a broad structure in the pi+ pi- J/psi mass spectrum around 4.26 GeV/c2

We study initial-state radiation events, e+ e- --> gammaISR pi+ pi- J/psi, with data collected with the BABAR detector. We observe an accumulation of events near 4.26 GeV/c2 in the invariant-mass spectrum of pi+ pi- J/psi. Fits to the mass spectrum indicate that a broad resonance with a mass of about 4.26 GeV/c2 is required to describe the observed structure. The presence of additional narrow resonances cannot be excluded. The fitted width of the broad resonance is 50 to 90 MeV/c2, depending on the fit hypothesis.     

Search for factorization-suppressed B-->chi(c)K(*) decays

We search for the factorization-suppressed decays B-->chi(c0)K(*) and B-->chi(c2)K(*), with chi(c0) and chi(c2) decaying into J/psi gamma, using a sample of 124 x 10(6) BB events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II storage ring of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. We find no significant signal and set upper bounds for the branching fractions.     

Pyrrolidinium Ionic Liquid Crystals

N‐Alkyl‐N‐methylpyrrolidinium cations have been used for the design of ionic liquid crystals, including a new type of uranium‐containing metallomesogen. Pyrrolidinium salts with bromide, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, thiocyanate, tetrakis(2‐ thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)europate(III) and tetrabromouranyl counteranions were prepared. For the bromide salts and tetrabromouranyl compounds, the chain length of the alkyl group C_nH_2n+1 was varied from eight to twenty carbon atoms (n=8, 10–20). The compounds show rich mesomorphic behaviour: highly ordered smectic phases (the crystal smectic E phase and the uncommon crystal smectic T phase), smectic A phases, and hexagonal columnar phases were observed, depending on chain length and anion. This work gives better insight into the nature and formation of the crystal smectic T phase, and the molecular requirements for the appearance of this highly ordered phase. This uncommon tetragonal mesophase is thoroughly discussed on the basis of detailed powder X‐ray diffraction experiments and in relation to the existing literature. Structural models are proposed for self‐assembly of the molecules within the smectic layers. In addition, the photophysical properties of the compounds containing a metal complex anion were investigated. For the uranium‐containing mesogens, luminescence can be induced by dissolving them in an ionic liquid matrix. The europium‐containing compound shows intense red photoluminescence with high colour purity.     

Precision measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters with KamLAND

The KamLAND experiment has determined a precise value for the neutrino oscillation parameter Deltam21(2) and stringent constraints on theta12. The exposure to nuclear reactor antineutrinos is increased almost fourfold over previous results to 2.44 x 10(32) proton yr due to longer livetime and an enlarged fiducial volume. An undistorted reactor nu[over]e energy spectrum is now rejected at >5sigma. Analysis of the reactor spectrum above the inverse beta decay energy threshold, and including geoneutrinos, gives a best fit at Deltam21(2)=7.58(-0.13)(+0.14)(stat) -0.15+0.15(syst) x 10(-5) eV2 and tan2theta12=0.56(-0.07)+0.10(stat) -0.06+0.10(syst). Local Deltachi2 minima at higher and lower Deltam21(2) are disfavored at >4sigma. Combining with solar neutrino data, we obtain Deltam21(2)=7.59(-0.21)+0.21 x 10(-5) eV2 and tan2theta12=0.47(-0.05)+0.06.