Search

The first full angular analysis of the B0→D∗−D∗+s decay is performed using 6 fb−1 of pp collision data collected with the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The D∗+s→D+sγ and D*− → D¯¯¯¯0π− vector meson decays are used with the subsequent D+s → K+K−π+ and D¯¯¯¯0 → K+π− decays. All helicity amplitudes and phases are measured, and the longitudinal polarisation fraction is determined to be fL = 0.578 ± 0.010 ± 0.011 with world-best precision, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The pattern of helicity amplitude magnitudes is found to align with expectations from quark-helicity conservation in B decays. The ratio of branching fractions [ℬ(B0→D∗−D∗+s) × ℬ(D∗+s→D+sγ)]/ℬ(B0 → D*−D+s) is measured to be 2.045 ± 0.022 ± 0.071 with world-best precision. In addition, the first observation of the Cabibbo-suppressed Bs → D*−D+s decay is made with a significance of seven standard deviations. The branching fraction ratio ℬ(Bs → D*−D+s)/ℬ(B0 → D*−D+s) is measured to be 0.049 ± 0.006 ± 0.003 ± 0.002, where the third uncertainty is due to limited knowledge of the ratio of fragmentation fractions SI

A search for the decay B0S→K¯∗0μ+μ− is presented using data sets corresponding to 1.0, 2.0 and 1.6 fb−1 of integrated luminosity collected during pp collisions with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV, respectively. An excess is found over the background-only hypothesis with a significance of 3.4 standard deviations. The branching fraction of the B0S→K¯∗0μ+μ− decay is determined to be B(B0s→K¯∗0μ+μ−)=[2.9±1.0(stat)±0.2(syst)±0.3(norm)]×10−8, where the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The third uncertainty is due to limited knowledge of external parameters used to normalise the branching fraction measurement. SI

Amplitude models are constructed to describe the resonance structure of D0 → K− π + π + π − and D0 → K+ π − π − π + decays using pp collision data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV with the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 f b−1. The largest contributions to both decay amplitudes are found to come from axial resonances, with decay modes D0 → a1(1260) +K− and D0 → K1(1270/1400) + π − being prominent in D0 → K− π + π + π − and D0 → K+ π − π − π +, respectively. Precise measurements of the lineshape parameters and couplings of the a1(1260) +, K1(1270) − and K(1460) − resonances are made, and a quasi model-independent study of the K(1460) − resonance is performed. The coherence factor of the decays is calculated from the amplitude models to be RK3π = 0.459 ± 0.010 (stat) ± 0.012 (syst)±0.020 (model), which is consistent with direct measurements. These models will be useful in future measurements of the unitary-triangle angle γ and studies of charm mixing and CP violation SI

A Dalitz plot analysis of B0 → ηc(1S)K +π− decays is performed using data samples of pp collisions collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb−1. A satisfactory description of the data is obtained when including a contribution representing an exotic ηc(1S)π− resonant state. The significance of this exotic resonance is more than three standard deviations, while its mass and width are 4096 ± 20 +18 −22 MeV and 152±58 +60 −35 MeV, respectively. The spin-parity assignments J P = 0+ and J P = 1− are both consistent with the data. In addition, the first measurement of the B0 → ηc(1S)K +π− branching fraction is performed and gives B(B0→ ηc(1S)K +π−) = (5.73 ± 0.24 ± 0.13 ± 0.66) × 10−4, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third is due to limited knowledge of external branching fractions SI

The production of ϒ(nS) mesons (n = 1, 2, 3) in pPb and Pbp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair \( \sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=8.16 \) TeV is measured by the LHCb experiment, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 31.8 nb−1. The ϒ(nS) mesons are reconstructed through their decays into two opposite-sign muons. The measurements comprise the differential production cross-sections of the ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) states, their forward-to-backward ratios and nuclear modification factors. The measurements are performed as a function of the transverse momentum pT and rapidity in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass frame y* of the ϒ(nS) states, in the kinematic range pT < 25 GeV/c and 1.5 < y* < 4.0 (−5.0 < y* < −2.5) for pPb (Pbp) collisions. In addition, production cross-sections for ϒ(3S) are measured integrated over phase space and the production ratios between all three ϒ(nS) states are determined. Suppression for bottomonium in proton-lead collisions is observed, which is particularly visible in the ratios. The results are compared to theoretical models. SI

The B¯0s→χc2K+K− decay mode is observed and its branching fraction relative to the corresponding χc1 decay mode, in a ±15 MeV/c2 window around the ϕ mass, is found to be B(B¯0s→χc2K+K−)B(B¯0s→χc1K+K−)=(17.1±3.1±0.4±0.9)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third due to the knowledge of the branching fractions of radiative χc decays. The decay mode B¯0s→χc1K+K− allows the B0s mass to be measured as m(B0s)=5366.83±0.25±0.27 MeV/c2, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. A combination of this result with other LHCb determinations of the B 0s mass is made. SI

A measurement of Z → τ +τ − production cross-section is presented using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2 fb−1, from pp collisions at √s=8 TeV collected by the LHCb experiment. The τ +τ − candidates are reconstructed in final states with the first tau lepton decaying leptonically, and the second decaying either leptonically or to one or three charged hadrons. The production cross-section is measured for Z bosons with invariant mass between 60 and 120 GeV/c2, which decay to tau leptons with transverse momenta greater than 20 GeV/c and pseudorapidities between 2.0 and 4.5. The cross-section is determined to be σpp→Z→τ+τ−=95.8±2.1±4.6±0.2±1.1 pb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, the third is due to the LHC beam energy uncertainty, and the fourth to the integrated luminosity uncertainty. This result is compatible with NNLO Standard model predictions. The ratio of the cross-sections for Z → τ+τ− to Z → μ+μ− (Z → e+e−), determined to be 1.01 ± 0.05 (1.02 ± 0.06), is consistent with the lepton-universality hypothesis in Z decays. SI