arXiv subjects

C. Thomas

Publications and source records attributed to C. Thomas.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Improved Measurement of Absolute Hadronic Branching Fractions of the Ds+ Meson

The branching fractions of Ds meson decays serve to normalize many measurements of processes involving charm quarks. Using 586 pb^-1 of e+ e- collisions recorded at a center of mass energy of 4.17 GeV, we determine absolute branching fractions for 13 Ds decays in 16 reconstructed final states with a double tag technique. In particular we make a precise measurement of the branching fraction B(Ds -> K- K+ pi+) = (5.55 +- 0.14 +- 0.13)%, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic respectively. We find a significantly reduced value of B(Ds -> pi+ pi0 eta') compared to the world average, and our results bring the inclusively and exclusively measured values of B(Ds -> eta' X)$ into agreement. We also search for CP-violating asymmetries in Ds decays and measure the cross-section of e+ e- -> Ds* Ds at Ecm = 4.17 GeV.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

The LHCb Trigger and its Performance in 2011

This paper presents the design of the LHCb trigger and its performance on data taken at the LHC in 2011. A principal goal of LHCb is to perform flavour physics measurements, and the trigger is designed to distinguish charm and beauty decays from the light quark background. Using a combination of lepton identification and measurements of the particles' transverse momenta the trigger selects particles originating from charm and beauty hadrons, which typically fly a finite distance before decaying. The trigger reduces the roughly 11\,MHz of bunch-bunch crossings that contain at least one inelastic $pp$ interaction to 3\,kHz. This reduction takes place in two stages; the first stage is implemented in hardware and the second stage is a software application that runs on a large computer farm. A data-driven method is used to evaluate the performance of the trigger on several charm and beauty decay modes.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2013

Radiation damage in the LHCb Vertex Locator

The LHCb Vertex Locator (VELO) is a silicon strip detector designed to reconstruct charged particle trajectories and vertices produced at the LHCb interaction region. During the first two years of data collection, the 84 VELO sensors have been exposed to a range of fluences up to a maximum value of approximately $\rm{45 \times 10^{12}\,1\,MeV}$ neutron equivalent ($\rm{1\,MeV\,n_{eq}}$). At the operational sensor temperature of approximately $-7\,^{\circ}\rm{C}$, the average rate of sensor current increase is $18\,\upmu\rm{A}$ per $\rm{fb^{-1}}$, in excellent agreement with predictions. The silicon effective bandgap has been determined using current versus temperature scan data after irradiation, with an average value of $E_{g}=1.16\pm0.03\pm0.04\,\rm{eV}$ obtained. The first observation of n-on-n sensor type inversion at the LHC has been made, occurring at a fluence of around $15 \times 10 ^{12}$ of $1\,\rm{MeV\,n_{eq}}$. The only n-on-p sensors in use at the LHC have also been studied. With an initial fluence of approximately $\rm{3 \times 10^{12}\,1\,MeV\,n_{eq}}$, a decrease in the Effective Depletion Voltage (EDV) of around 25\,V is observed, attributed to oxygen induced removal of boron interstitial sites. Following this initial decrease, the EDV increases at a comparable rate to the type inverted n-on-n type sensors, with rates of $(1.43\pm 0.16) \times 10 ^{-12}\,\rm{V} / \, 1 \, \rm{MeV\,n_{eq}}$ and $(1.35\pm 0.25) \times 10 ^{-12}\,\rm{V} / \, 1 \, \rm{MeV\,n_{eq}}$ measured for n-on-p and n-on-n type sensors, respectively. A reduction in the charge collection efficiency due to an unexpected effect involving the second metal layer readout lines is observed.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2012

Updated Measurement of the Strong Phase in D0 --> K+pi- Decay Using Quantum Correlations in e+e- --> D0 D0bar at CLEO

We analyze a sample of 3 million quantum-correlated D0 D0bar pairs from 818 pb^-1 of e+e- collision data collected with the CLEO-c detector at E_cm = 3.77 GeV, to give an updated measurement of \cosδand a first determination of \sinδ, where δis the relative strong phase between doubly Cabibbo-suppressed D0 --> K+pi- and Cabibbo-favored D0bar --> K+pi- decay amplitudes. With no inputs from other experiments, we find \cosδ= 0.81 +0.22+0.07 -0.18-0.05, \sinδ= -0.01 +- 0.41 +- 0.04, and |δ| = 10 +28+13 -53-0 degrees. By including external measurements of mixing parameters, we find alternative values of \cosδ= 1.15 +0.19+0.00 -0.17-0.08, \sinδ= 0.56 +0.32+0.21 -0.31-0.20, and δ= (18 +11-17) degrees. Our results can be used to improve the world average uncertainty on the mixing parameter y by approximately 10%.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Model-independent $D^0-\bar{D^0}$ mixing and CP violation studies with $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S}π^+π^-$ and $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S}K^+K^-$

Simulation studies are performed to assess the sensitivity of a model-independent analysis of the flavour-tagged decays $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S}π^+π^-$ and $D^0 \to K^0_{\rm S}K^+K^-$ to mixing and CP violation. The analysis takes as input measurements of the $D$ decay strong-phase parameters that are accessible in quantum-correlated $D-\bar{D}$ pairs produced at the $ψ(3770)$ resonance. It is shown that the model-independent approach is well suited to the very large data sets expected at an upgraded LHCb experiment, or future high luminosity $e^+e^-$ facility, and that with 100M $K^0_{\rm S}π^+π^-$ decays a statistical precision of around 0.01 and $0.7^\circ$ is achievable on the CP violation parameters $r_{CP}$ and $a_{CP}$, respectively. Even with this very large sample the systematic uncertainties associated with the strong-phase parameters will not be limiting, assuming that full use is made of the available $ψ(3770)$ data sets of CLEO-c and BES-III. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that large flavour-tagged samples can themselves be exploited to provide information on the strong-phase parameters, a feature that will be beneficial in the measurement of the CKM angle $γ/ϕ_3$ with $B^- \to DK^-$ decays.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Amplitude analysis of D0->K+K-pi+pi-

The first flavor-tagged amplitude analysis of the decay D0 to the self-conjugate final state K+K-pi+pi- is presented. Data from the CLEO II.V, CLEO III, and CLEO-c detectors are used, from which around 3000 signal decays are selected. The three most significant amplitudes, which contribute to the model that best fits the data, are phirho0, K1(1270)+-K-+, and non-resonant K+K-pi+pi-. Separate amplitude analyses of D0 and D0-bar candidates indicate no CP violation among the amplitudes at the level of 5% to 30% depending on the mode. In addition, the sensitivity to the CP-violating parameter gamma/phi3 of a sample of 2000 B+ -> D0-tilde(K+K-pi+pi-)K+ decays, where D0-tilde is a D0 or D0-bar, collected at LHCb or a future flavor facility, is estimated to be (11.3 +/- 0.3) degrees using the favored model.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2012

Amplitude analyses of the decays chi_c1 -> eta pi+ pi- and chi_c1 -> eta' pi+ pi-

Using a data sample of 2.59 x 10^7 psi(2S) decays obtained with the CLEO-c detector, we perform amplitude analyses of the complementary decay chains chi_c1 -> eta pi+ pi- and chi_c1 -> eta' pi+ pi-. We find evidence for a P-wave eta' pi scattering amplitude, which, if interpreted as a resonance, would have exotic J^PC = 1^-+ and parameters consistent with the pi_1(1600) state reported in other production mechanisms. We also make the first observation of the decay a_0(980) -> eta' pi and measure the ratio of branching fractions B(a_0(980) -> eta' pi)/B(a_0(980) -> eta pi) = 0.064 +- 0.014 +- 0.014. The pi pi spectrum produced with a recoiling eta is compared to that with eta' recoil.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

First Measurement of the Form Factors in the Decays D0 to rho- e+ nu_e and D+ to rho0 e+ nu_e

Using the entire CLEO-c psi(3770) to DDbar event sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 818 pb^-1 and approximately 5.4 x 10^6 DDbar events, we measure the form factors for the decays D0 to rho- e+ nu_e and D+ to rho0 e+ nu_e for the first time and the branching fractions with improved precision. A four-dimensional unbinned maximum likelihood fit determines the form factor ratios to be: V(0)/A_1(0) = 1.48 +- 0.15 +- 0.05 and A_2(0)/A_1(0)= 0.83 +- 0.11 +- 0.04. Assuming CKM unitarity, the known D meson lifetimes and our measured branching fractions we obtain the form factor normalizations A_1(0), A_2(0), and V(0). We also present a measurement of the branching fraction for D^+ to omega e^+ nu_e with improved precision.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Observation of the h_c(1P) using e^+e^- collisions above DDbar threshold

Using 586pb^-1 of e^+e^- collision data at E_CM = 4170MeV, produced at the CESR collider and collected with the CLEO-c detector, we observe the process e^+e^- --> pi^+ pi^- h_c(1P). We measure its cross section to be 15.6+-2.3+-1.9+-3.0pb, where the third error is due to the external uncertainty on the branching fraction of psi(2S) --> pi^0 h_c(1P), which we use for normalization. We also find evidence for e^+e^- --> eta h_c(1P) at 4170MeV at the 3sigma level, and see hints of a rise in the e^+e^- --> pi^+ pi^- h_c(1P) cross section at 4260MeV.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Branching fractions for Y(3S) -> pi^0 h_b and psi(2S) -> pi^0 h_c

Using e^+e^- collision data corresponding to 5.88M Y(3S) [25.9M psi(2S)] decays and acquired by the CLEO III [CLEO-c] detectors operating at CESR, we study the single-pion transitions from Y(3S) [psi(2S)] to the respective spin-singlet states h_{b[c]}. Utilizing only the momentum of suitably selected transition-pi^0 candidates, we obtain the upper limit B(Y(3S) -> pi^0 h_b) < 1.2\times 10^{-3} at 90% confidence level, and measure B(psi(2S) -> pi^0 h_c) = (9.0+-1.5+-1.3)\times 10^{-4}. Signal sensitivities are enhanced by excluding very asymmetric pi^0 -> gamma gamma candidates.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Analysis of the Decay D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0

We present the results of a Dalitz plot analysis of D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0 using the CLEO-c data set of 818 inverse pico-barns of e^+ e^- collisions accumulated at sqrt{s} = 3.77 GeV. This corresponds to three million D^0 D^0-bar pairs from which we select 1,259 tagged candidates with a background of 7.5 +- 0.9 percent. Several models have been explored, all of which include the K^*(892), K^*_2(1430), K^*(1680), the f_0(980), and the sigma(500). We find that the combined pi^0 pi^0 S-wave contribution to our preferred fit is (28.9 +- 6.3 +- 3.1)% of the total decay rate while D^0 to K^*(892)^0 pi^0 contributes (65.6 +- 5.3 +- 2.5)%. Using three tag modes and correcting for quantum correlations we measure the D^0 to K^0_S pi^0 pi^0 branching fraction to be (1.059 +- 0.038 +- 0.061)%.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Studies of D^+ -> {eta', eta, phi} e^+ nu_e

We report the first observation of the decay D^+ -> eta' e^+ nu_e in two analyses, which combined provide a branching fraction of B(D+ -> eta' e nu) = (2.16 +/- 0.53 +/- 0.07) x 10^{-4}. We also provide an improved measurement of B(D+ -> eta e nu) = (11.4 +/- 0.9 +/- 0.4) x 10^{-4}, provide the first form factor measurement, and set the improved upper limit B(D+ -> phi e nu) < 0.9 x 10^{-4} (90% C.L.).

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Search for the decay $D^+_{s}\toωe^+ν$

We present the first search for the decay $D^+_{s}\to ωe^{+}ν$ to test the four-quark content of the $D^+_{s}$ and the $ω$-$ϕ$ mixing model for this decay. We use 586 $\mathrm{pb}^{-1}$ of $e^{+}e^{-}$ collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 4170 MeV. We find no evidence of a signal, and set an upper limit on the branching fraction of $\mathcal{B}(D^+_{s}\toωe^+ν)<$0.20% at the 90% confidence level.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Observation of the Dalitz Decay $D_{s}^{*+} \to D_{s}^{+} e^{+} e^{-}$

Using 586 $\textrm{pb}^{-1}$ of $e^{+}e^{-}$ collision data acquired at $\sqrt{s}=4.170$ GeV with the CLEO-c detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we report the first observation of $D_{s}^{*+} \to D_{s}^{+} e^{+} e^{-}$ with a significance of $5.3 σ$. The ratio of branching fractions $\calB(D_{s}^{*+} \to D_{s}^{+} e^{+} e^{-}) / \calB(D_{s}^{*+} \to D_{s}^{+} γ)$ is measured to be $[ 0.72^{+0.15}_{-0.13} (\textrm{stat}) \pm 0.10 (\textrm{syst})]%$, which is consistent with theoretical expectations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2011

Measurements of branching fractions for electromagnetic transitions involving the $χ_{bJ}(1P)$ states

Using 9.32, 5.88 million Upsilon(2S,3S) decays taken with the CLEO-III detector, we obtain five product branching fractions for the exclusive processes Upsilon(2S) => gamma chi_{b0,1,2}(1P) => gamma gamma Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(3S) => gamma chi_{b1,2}(1P) => gamma gamma Upsilon(1S). We observe the transition chi_{b0}(1P) => gamma Upsilon(1S) for the first time. Using the known branching fractions for B[Upsilon(2S) => gamma chi_{bJ}(1P)], we extract values for B[chi_{bJ}(1P) => gamma Upsilon(1S)] for J=0, 1, 2. In turn, these values can be used to unfold the Upsilon(3S) product branching fractions to obtain values for B[Upsilon(3S) => gamma chi_{b1,2}(1P) for the first time individually. Comparison of these with each other and with the branching fraction B[Upsilon(3S) => gamma chi_{b0}] previously measured by CLEO provides tests of relativistic corrections to electric dipole matrix elements.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

Upsilon(1S)->gamma+f2'(1525); f2'(1525)->K0sK0s decays

We report on a study of exclusive radiative decays of the Upsilon(1S) resonance into a final state consisting of a photon and two K0s candidates. We find evidence for a signal for Upsilon(1S)->gamma f_2'(1525); f_2'(1525)->K0sK0s, at a rate (4.0+/-1.3+/-0.6)x10^{-5}, consistent with previous observations of Upsilon(1S)->gamma f_2'(1525); f_2'(1525)->K+K-, and isospin. Combining this branching fraction with existing branching fraction measurements of Upsilon(1S)->gamma f_2'(1525) and J/psi->gamma f_2'(1525), we obtain the ratio of branching fractions: B(Upsilon(1S)->gamma f_2'(1525))/B(J/psi->gamma f_2'(1525))=0.09+/-0.02, approximately consistent with expectations based on soft collinear effective theory.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

Search for rare and forbidden decays of charm and charmed-strange mesons to final states h^+- e^-+ e^+

We have searched for flavor-changing neutral current decays and lepton-number-violating decays of D^+ and D^+_s mesons to final states of the form h^+- e^-+ e^+, where h is either πor K. We use the complete samples of CLEO-c open-charm data, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 818 pb^-1 at the center-of-mass energy E_CM = 3.774 GeV containing 2.4 x 10^6 D^+D^- pairs and 602 pb^-1 at E_CM = 4.170 GeV containing 0.6 x 10^6 D^*+-_s D^-+_s pairs. No signal is observed in any channel, and we obtain 90% confidence level upper limits on branching fractions B(D^+ --> π^+ e^+ e^-) < 5.9 x 10^-6, B(D^+ --> π^- e^+ e^+) < 1.1 x 10^-6, B(D^+ --> K^+ e^+ e^-) < 3.0 x 10^-6, B(D^+ --> K^- e^+ e^+) < 3.5 x 10^-6, B(D^+_s --> π^+ e^+ e^-) < 2.2 x 10^-5, B(D^+_s --> π^- e^+ e^+) < 1.8 x 10^-5, B(D^+_s --> K^+ e^+ e^-) < 5.2 x 10^-5, and B(D^+_s --> K^- e^+ e^+) < 1.7 x 10^-5.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2010

Study of psi(2S) Decays to gamma p bar{p}, pi^0 p bar{p} and eta p bar{p} and Search for p bar{p} Threshold Enhancements

The decays of psi(2S) into gamma p bar{p}, pi^0 p bar{p} and eta p bar{p} have been studied with the CLEO-c detector using a sample of 24.5 million psi(2S) events obtained from e^+e^- annihilations at sqrt{s} = 3686 MeV. The data show evidence for the excitation of several N^* resonances in p pi^0 and p eta channels in pi^0 p bar{p} and eta p bar{p} decays, and f_2 states in gamma p bar{p} decay. Branching fractions for decays of psi(2S) to gamma p bar{p}, pi^0 p bar{p} and eta p bar{p} have been determined. No evidence for p bar{p} threshold enhancements was found in the reactions psi(2S)-> X p bar{p}, where X = gamma, pi^0, eta. We do, however, find confirming evidence for a p bar{p} threshold enhancement in J/psi-> gamma p bar{p} as previously reported by BES.

hep-ex↗