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M. Becker

Publications and source records attributed to M. Becker.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Measurement of $\itΛ_\it{b}^0$, $\itΛ_\it{c}^+$ and $\itΛ$ decay parameters using $\itΛ_\it{b}^0 \to \itΛ_\it{c}^+ h^-$ decays

A comprehensive study of the angular distributions in the bottom-baryon decays $\itΛ^\mathrm{0}_b\to\itΛ_c^+ h^-(h=π, K)$, followed by $\itΛ_c^+\to\itΛ h^+$ with $\itΛ\to \it{p} π^-$ or $\itΛ_c^+\to\it{p}\it{K}^0_\mathrm{S}$ decays, is performed using a data sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 $\mathrm{Te\kern -0.1em V}$. The decay parameters and the associated charge-parity ($C\!P$) asymmetries are measured, with no significant $C\!P$ violation observed. For the first time, the $\itΛ^\mathrm{0}_b \to \itΛ_c^+ h^-$ decay parameters are measured. The most precise measurements of the decay parameters $α, β$ and $γ$ are obtained for $\itΛ_c^+$ decays and an independent measurement of the decay parameters for the strange-baryon $\itΛ$ decay is provided. The results deepen our understanding of weak decay dynamics in baryon decays.

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Measurement of the $D^{*}$ longitudinal polarization in $B^0\to D^{*-}τ^{+}ν_τ$ decays

The longitudinal polarization fraction of the $D^{*}$ meson is measured in $B^0\to D^{*-}τ^{+}ν_τ$ decays, where the $τ$ lepton decays to three charged pions and a neutrino, using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 fb$^{-1}$. The $D^{*}$ polarization fraction $F_{L}^{D^{*}}$ is measured in two $q^{2}$ regions, below and above 7 GeV$^{2}/c^{4}$, where $q^{2}$ is defined as the squared invariant mass of the $τν_τ$ system. The $F_{L}^{D^{*}}$ values are measured to be $0.52 \pm 0.07 \pm 0.04$ and $0.34 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.02$ for the lower and higher $q^{2}$ regions, respectively. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The average value over the whole $q^{2}$ range is: $$F_{L}^{D^{*}} = 0.41 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.03.$$ These results are compatible with the Standard Model predictions.

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Measurement of the effective leptonic weak mixing angle

Using $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, recorded by the LHCb experiment between 2016 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4$ fb$^{-1}$, the forward-backward asymmetry in the $pp \to Z/γ^{*} \to μ^+μ^-$ process is measured. The measurement is carried out in ten intervals of the difference between the muon pseudorapidities, within a fiducial region covering dimuon masses between $66$ and $116$ GeV, muon pseudorapidities between $2.0$ and $4.5$ and muon transverse momenta above $20$ GeV. These forward-backward asymmetries are compared with predictions, at next-to-leading order in the strong and electroweak couplings. The measured effective leptonic weak mixing angle is $\sin^2θ_{\rm eff}^\ell = 0.23147 \pm 0.00044 \pm 0.00005 \pm 0.00023$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second arises from systematic uncertainties associated with the asymmetry measurement, and the third arises from uncertainties in the fit model used to extract $\sin^2θ_{\rm eff}^\ell$ from the asymmetry measurement. This result is based on an arithmetic average of results using the CT18, MSHT20, and NNPDF31 parameterisations of the proton internal structure, and is consistent with previous measurements and with predictions from the global electroweak fit.

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Search for the lepton-flavor violating decay $B^0_s\toϕμ^\pmτ^\mp$

A search for the lepton-flavor violating decays $B^0_s\toϕμ^\pmτ^\mp$ is presented, using a sample of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, collected with the LHCb detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9\,\text{fb}^{-1}$. The $τ$ leptons are selected using decays with three charged pions. No significant excess is observed, and an upper limit on the branching fraction is determined to be ${\cal B}( B^0_s\toϕμ^\pmτ^\mp) < 1.0\times 10^{-5}$ at 90% confidence level.

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Observation of muonic Dalitz decays of $χ_{b}$ mesons and precise spectroscopy of hidden-beauty states

The decays of the $χ_{b1}(1P)$, $χ_{b2}(1P)$, $χ_{b1}(2P)$ and $χ_{b2}(2P)$ mesons into the $Υ(1S)μ^+μ^-$ final state are observed with a high significance using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9fb$^{-1}$. The newly observed decays together with the $Υ(2S)\rightarrow Υ(1S)π^+π^-$ and $Υ(3S)\rightarrow Υ(2S)π^+π^-$ decay modes are used for precision measurements of the mass and mass splittings for the hidden-beauty states.

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Transverse polarization measurement of $Λ$ hyperons in $p$Ne collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 68.4 GeV with the $\mbox{LHCb}$ detector

A measurement of the transverse polarization of the $Λ$ and $\barΛ$ hyperons in $p$Ne fixed-target collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 68.4 GeV is presented using data collected by the LHCb detector. The polarization is studied using the decay $Λ\rightarrow p π^-$ together with its charge conjugated process, the integrated values measured are $$ P_Λ = 0.029 \pm 0.019 \, (\rm{stat}) \pm 0.012 \, (\rm{syst}) \, , $$ $$ P_{\barΛ} = 0.003 \pm 0.023 \, (\rm{stat}) \pm 0.014 \,(\rm{syst}) \,. $$ Furthermore, the results are shown as a function of the Feynman~$x$~variable, transverse momentum, pseudorapidity and rapidity of the hyperons, and are compared with previous measurements.

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Precision measurement of the $Ξ^-_b$ baryon lifetime

A sample of $pp$ collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.5 fb$^{-1}$ and collected by the LHCb experiment during LHC Run 2, is used to measure the ratio of the lifetime of the $Ξ^-_b$ baryon to that of the $Λ^0_b$ baryon, $r_τ\equivτ_{Ξ^-_b}/τ_{Λ^0_b}$. The value ${r_τ=1.076\pm0.013\pm0.006}$ is obtained, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This value is averaged with the corresponding value from Run 1 to obtain ${r_τ^{\rm Run\,1,2} = 1.078\pm0.012\pm0.007}$. Multiplying by the world-average value of the $Λ^0_b$ lifetime yields $τ_{Ξ^-_b}^{\rm Run~1,2} = 1.578\pm0.018\pm0.010\pm0.011$ ps, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the limited knowledge of the $Λ^0_b$ lifetime. This measurement improves the precision of the current world average of the $Ξ^-_b$ lifetime by about a factor of two, and is in good agreement with the most recent theoretical predictions.

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Study of $b$-hadron decays to $\mathitΛ_{c}^+ h^- h^{\prime -}$ final states

Decays of $\mathitΞ_{b}^-$ and $\mathitΩ_{b}^-$ baryons to $\mathitΛ_{c}^+ h^- h^{\prime -}$ final states, with $h^- h^{\prime -}$ being $π^-π^-$, $K^-π^-$ and $K^-K^-$ meson pairs, are searched for using data collected with the LHCb detector. The data sample studied corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $8.7\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions collected at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s} = 7$, $8$ and $13\,\mathrm{Te\kern -0.1em V}$. The products of the relative branching fractions and fragmentation fractions for each signal mode, relative to the $B^- \to \mathitΛ_{c}^+ \overline{p} π^-$ mode, are measured, with $\mathitΞ_{b}^- \to\mathitΛ_{c}^+ K^- π^-$, $\mathitΞ_{b}^- \to\mathitΛ_{c}^+ K^- K^-$ and $\mathitΩ_{b}^- \to\mathitΛ_{c}^+ K^- K^-$ decays being observed at over $5\,σ$ significance. The $\mathitΞ_{b}^- \to\mathitΛ_{c}^+ K^- π^-$ mode is also used to measure the $\mathitΞ_{b}^-$ production asymmetry, which is found to be consistent with zero. In addition, the $B^- \to \mathitΛ_{c}^+ \overline{p} K^-$ decay is observed for the first time, and its branching fraction is measured relative to that of the $B^- \to \mathitΛ_{c}^+ \overline{p} π^-$ mode.

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Search for the rare decay of charmed baryon $Λ_c^+$ into $p μ^+ μ^-$ final state

A search for the nonresonant $Λ_c^+ \to p μ^+ μ^-$ decay is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb$^{-1}$. No evidence for the decay is found in the dimuon invariant-mass regions where the expected contributions of resonances is subdominant. The upper limit on the branching fraction of the $Λ_c^+ \to p μ^+ μ^-$ decay is determined to be $2.9~(3.2) \times 10^{-8}$ at 90% (95%) confidence level. The branching fractions in the dimuon invariant-mass regions dominated by the $η$, $ρ$ and $ω$ resonances are also determined.

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Measurement of $Ξ_{c}^{+}$ production in $p$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=8.16$ TeV at LHCb

A study of prompt $Ξ_{c}^{+}$ production in proton-lead collisions is performed with the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 8.16 TeV in 2016 in $p$Pb and Pb$p$ collisions with an estimated integrated luminosity of approximately 12.5 and 17.4 nb$^{-1}$, respectively. The $Ξ_{c}^{+}$ production cross-section, as well as the $Ξ_{c}^{+}$ to $Λ_{c}^{+}$ production cross-section ratio, are measured as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity and compared to latest theory predictions. The forward-backward asymmetry is also measured as a function of the $Ξ_{c}^{+}$ transverse momentum.

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Tracking of charged particles with nanosecond lifetimes at LHCb

A method is presented to reconstruct charged particles with lifetimes between 10 ps and 10 ns, which considers a combination of their decay products and the partial tracks created by the initial charged particle. Using the $Ξ^-$ baryon as a benchmark, the method is demonstrated with simulated events and proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.0 fb${}^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector in 2018. Significant improvements in the angular resolution and the signal purity are obtained. The method is implemented as part of the LHCb Run 3 event trigger in a set of requirements to select detached hyperons. This is the first demonstration of the applicability of this approach at the LHC, and the first to show its scaling with instantaneous luminosity.

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Amplitude analysis and branching fraction measurement of $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decays

The decays of the $B^{+}$ meson to the final state $D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ are studied in proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. The ratio of branching fractions of the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ and $B^{0}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}$ decays is measured to be $0.173\pm 0.006\pm 0.010$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. Using partially reconstructed $D^{*+}_{s}\to D^{+}_{s}γ$ and $D^{+}_{s}π^{0}$ decays, the ratio of branching fractions between the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{*+}_{s}π^{+}$ and $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decays is determined as $1.31\pm 0.07\pm 0.14$. An amplitude analysis of the $B^{+}\to D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decay is performed for the first time, revealing dominant contributions from known excited charm resonances decaying to the $D^{*-}π^{+}$ final state. No significant evidence of exotic contributions in the $D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ or $D^{*-}D^{+}_{s}$ channels is found. The fit fraction of the scalar state $T_{c\bar{s} 0}^{\ast}(2900)^{++}$ observed in the $B^{+}\to D^{-}D^{+}_{s}π^{+}$ decay is determined to be less than 2.3% at a 90% confidence level.

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The LHCb upgrade I

The LHCb upgrade represents a major change of the experiment. The detectors have been almost completely renewed to allow running at an instantaneous luminosity five times larger than that of the previous running periods. Readout of all detectors into an all-software trigger is central to the new design, facilitating the reconstruction of events at the maximum LHC interaction rate, and their selection in real time. The experiment's tracking system has been completely upgraded with a new pixel vertex detector, a silicon tracker upstream of the dipole magnet and three scintillating fibre tracking stations downstream of the magnet. The whole photon detection system of the RICH detectors has been renewed and the readout electronics of the calorimeter and muon systems have been fully overhauled. The first stage of the all-software trigger is implemented on a GPU farm. The output of the trigger provides a combination of totally reconstructed physics objects, such as tracks and vertices, ready for final analysis, and of entire events which need further offline reprocessing. This scheme required a complete revision of the computing model and rewriting of the experiment's software.

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Search for time-dependent $CP$ violation in $D^0 \rightarrow π^+ π^- π^0$ decays

A measurement of time-dependent $CP$ violation in $D^0 \rightarrow π^+ π^- π^0$ decays using a $pp$ collision data sample collected by the LHCb experiment in 2012 and from 2015 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7.7$\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$, is presented. The initial flavour of each $D^0$ candidate is determined from the charge of the pion produced in the $D^*(2010)^+ \rightarrow D^0 π^+$ decay. The decay $D^0 \rightarrow K^- π^+ π^0$ is used as a control channel to validate the measurement procedure. The gradient of the time-dependent $CP$ asymmetry, $ΔY$, in $D^0 \rightarrow π^+ π^- π^0$ decays is measured to be \begin{equation*} ΔY = (-1.3 \pm 6.3 \pm 2.4) \times 10^{-4}, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic, which is compatible with $CP$ conservation.

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Observation of strangeness enhancement with charmed mesons in high-multiplicity $p\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at $\sqrt {s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=8.16\,$TeV

The production of prompt $D^+_{s}$ and $D^+$ mesons is measured by the LHCb experiment in proton-lead ($p\mathrm{Pb}$) collisions in both the forward ($1.5<y^*<4.0$) and backward ($-5.0<y^*<-2.5$) rapidity regions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt {s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=8.16\,$TeV. The nuclear modification factors of both $D^+_{s}$ and $D^+$ mesons are determined as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\mathrm{T}}$, and rapidity. In addition, the $D^+_{s}$ to $D^+$ cross-section ratio is measured as a function of the charged particle multiplicity in the event. An enhanced $D^+_{s}$ to $D^+$ production in high-multiplicity events is observed for the whole measured $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ range, in particular at low $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ and backward rapidity, where the significance exceeds six standard deviations. This constitutes the first observation of strangeness enhancement in charm quark hadronization in high-multiplicity $p\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions. The results are also qualitatively consistent with the presence of quark coalescence as an additional charm quark hadronization mechanism in high-multiplicity proton-lead collisions.

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Measurement of the mass difference and relative production rate of the $Ω^-_b$ and $Ξ^-_b$ baryons

The mass difference between the $Ω^-_b$ and $Ξ^-_b$ baryons is measured using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9 \, \text{fb}^{-1}$, and is found to be \begin{equation} m(Ω^-_b)- m(Ξ^-_b) = 248.54 \pm 0.51 \text{(stat)} \pm 0.38 \text{(syst)} \, \text{MeV}/c^2. \end{equation} The mass of the $Ω^-_b$ baryon is measured to be \begin{equation} m(Ω^-_b)= 6045.9 \pm 0.5 \text{(stat)} \pm 0.6 \text{(syst)} \, \text{MeV}/c^2. \end{equation} This is the most precise determination of the $Ω^-_b$ mass to date. In addition, the production rate of $Ω^-_b$ baryons relative to that of $Ξ^-_b$ baryons is measured for the first time in $pp$ collisions, using an LHCb dataset collected at a center-of-mass energy of $13 \, \text{TeV}$ and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6\,\text{fb}^{-1}$. Reconstructing beauty baryons in the kinematic region $2 < η< 6$ and $p_T < 20\,\text{GeV}/c$ with their decays to a $J/ψ$ meson and a hyperon, the ratio \begin{equation} \frac{f_{Ω^-_b}}{f_{Ξ^-_b}}\times\frac{\mathcal{B}(Ω^-_b \to J/ψΩ^-)}{\mathcal{B}(Ξ^-_b \to J/ψΞ^-)} = 0.120 \pm 0.008 \text{(stat)} \pm 0.008 \text{(syst)}, \end{equation} is obtained, where $f_{Ω^-_b}$ and $f_{Ξ^-_b}$ are the fragmentation fractions of $b$ quarks into $Ω^-_b$ and $Ξ^-_b$ baryons, respectively, and $\mathcal{B}$ represents the branching fractions of their respective decays.

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First observation of $Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_c^{(*)++} D^{(*)-} K^{-}$ decays

The four decays, $Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_c^{(*)++} D^{(*)-} K^{-}$, are observed for the first time using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at a centre-of-mass energy of $13\,\rm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6\,\rm{fb}^{-1}$. By considering the $Λ_b^0 \rightarrow Λ_c^{+} \overline{D}^0 K^{-}$ decay as reference channel, the following branching fraction ratios are measured to be $$\frac{\cal{B} (Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_{c}^{++} \rm{D}^{-} {K}^{-})}{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Λ_c^{+} \rm \overline{D}^0 {K}^{-})} = {0.282}\pm{0.016}\pm{0.016}\pm{0.005}, \frac{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_{c}^{*++} \rm {D}^{-} {K}^{-})}{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_c^{++} \rm {D}^{-} {K}^{-})} = {0.460}\pm{0.052}\pm{0.028}, \frac{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_{c}^{++} \rm {D}^{*-} {K}^{-})}{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_c^{++} \rm {D}^{-} {K}^{-})} = {2.261}\pm{0.202}\pm{0.129}\pm{0.046}, \frac{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_{c}^{*++} \rm D^{*-} K^{-})}{\cal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \rightarrow Σ_c^{++} \rm D^{-} K^{-})} = {0.896}\pm{0.137}\pm{0.066}\pm{0.018},$$ where the first uncertainties are statistical, the second are systematic, and the third are due to uncertainties in the branching fractions of intermediate particle decays. These initial observations mark the beginning of pentaquark searches in these modes, with more data set to become available following the LHCb upgrade.

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Observation of new baryons in the $Ξ_b^-π^+π^-$ and $Ξ_b^0π^+π^-$ systems

The first observation and study of two new baryonic structures in the final state $Ξ_b^0π^+π^-$ and the confirmation of the $Ξ_b(6100)^-$ state in the $Ξ_b^-π^+π^-$ decay mode are reported using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9$\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. In addition, the properties of the known $Ξ_b^{*0}$, $Ξ_b^{'-}$ and $Ξ_b^{*-}$ resonances are measured with improved precision. The new decay mode of the $Ξ_b^0$ baryon to the $Ξ_c^+π^-π^+π^-$ final state is observed and exploited for the first time in these measurements.

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