arXiv subjects

S. Baron

Publications and source records attributed to S. Baron.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Observation of the $T_{c\bar{c}1}(4430)^-$ state in $B^0\to D^{*-}D^0K^+$ decays

A study of resonant structures in $B^0 \to D^{*-}D^0K^+$ decays is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s} = 7$, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis demonstrates that the existing known excited $D_s^+$ resonances in the $D^0K^+$ spectrum are insufficient to describe the data. The inclusion of the tetraquark state $T_{c\bar{c}1}(4430)^-$ improves the description of the data with a statistical significance exceeding $5σ$. This corresponds to the first observation of the $T_{c\bar{c}1}(4430)^- \to D^{*-} D^0$ decay. The measured properties of the $T_{c\bar{c}1}(4430)^-$ state are consistent with those previously measured in its decay to the $ψ(2S)π^-$ final state.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Stringent limits on $C\!PT$- and Lorentz-invariance violation from $B_s^0$ meson decays

Tests of fundamental symmetries, such as $C\!PT$ and Lorentz invariance, provide sensitive probes of physics beyond the standard quantum-field-theory framework. Possible violations of these symmetries are investigated through interference effects in decays of $B_s^0$ mesons to $D_s^-π^{+}$ states. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector in 2015-2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of $13~\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The results are interpreted within the Standard Model Extension framework, yielding sensitivities to the Lorentz-violating parameter $Δa_μ$ at the ${\cal O}(10^{-14})\,\mathrm{GeV}$ level. Without assuming Lorentz-invariance violation, the $C\!PT$-violating parameter $z$ in the $B_s^0$ system is measured to be $\mathcal{R}e(z) = 0.018 \pm 0.016 \pm 0.003$ and $\mathcal{I}m(z) = 0.003 \pm 0.004 \pm 0.002$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These results represent the most precise constraints on $C\!PT$ violation in the $B_s^0$ system.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Observation of the ${Ξ_b^-\to Ξ^-μ^+μ^-}$ and study of the ${Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-ψ(2S)}$ decays

The rare decay ${Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-μ^+μ^-}$ is observed for the first time using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7$, $8$ and~$13~\text{TeV}$, corresponding to integrated luminosities of $1$, $2$ and $6~\text{fb}^{-1}$, respectively. Its branching fraction is reported in intervals of the dimuon invariant mass squared. The integrated value of ${\cal{B}}(Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-μ^+μ^-)$ is measured to be ${ (118 \pm 24 \pm 7 \pm 38 ) \times 10^{-8}}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third uncertainty arises from the normalisation branching fraction ${\cal{B}}(Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-J/ψ)$, whose uncertainty is dominated by SU(3)-breaking effects. In addition, the ratio of the branching fractions of the ${Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-ψ(2S)}$ and the ${Ξ_b^-\toΞ^-J/ψ}$ decays is measured to be ${ 0.491 \pm 0.041 \pm 0.019 }$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Branching fraction measurement of the $B^0\to K^+π^-μ^+μ^-$ decay at high dihadron mass

This Letter presents the first measurement of the $B^{0} \to K^{+}π^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-}$ differential branching fraction in the region of the dihadron $K^+π^-$ mass, $m_{Kπ}$, $1000< m_{Kπ} < 1835\,\text{MeV}/c^{2}$. This decay mode is mediated by the quark-level transition $b \to s\ell^{+}\ell^{-}$, for which the measured effective couplings show tensions with Standard Model predictions. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $8.4\,\text{fb}^{-1}$. The differential branching fraction is determined across different regions of dimuon mass squared, $q^2$, in the interval $0.1 < q^2 < 18.0\,\text{GeV}^2/c^{4}$, as well as in different regions of $ m_{Kπ}$ in the interval $1.1 < q^2 < 6.0\,\text{GeV}^2/c^{4}$. The results represent the first differential measurement of the branching fraction across $m_{Kπ}$ within the selected dihadron-mass region, and the first observation of the decay within this region above the $J/ψ$ resonance.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Energy-energy correlators within $Z$-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

Energy-energy correlators probe perturbative and nonperturbative QCD regimes of jet formation through momentum-weighted angular correlations between hadrons. First measurements in light-quark-enriched jets are presented for inclusive, like-sign, and opposite-sign charged-hadron pairs, using proton-proton collisions at LHCb. The results support universality of the confinement scale for light-quark-initiated jets across collision systems and the reported transverse momentum scale of the jet. In the charge-dependent measurements, opposite-sign correlations are enhanced as angular separation decreases down to the confinement-scale region, a behavior that is well described by simulations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(B_c^+ \to J/ψτ^+ ν_τ)/\mathcal{B}(B_c^+ \to J/ψμ^+ ν_μ)$

A measurement of the ratio of semileptonic branching fractions $\mathcal{R}(Jψ)$, defined as $\mathcal{R}(J/ψ) \equiv \mathcal{B}(B_c^+ \to J/ψτ^+ ν_τ)/\mathcal{B}(B_c^+ \to J/ψμ^+ ν_μ)$, is reported using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment in 2016--2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The measured value is found to be $\mathcal{R}(J/ψ) = 0.51 \pm 0.12\text{(stat)} \pm 0.08\text{(syst)}$, which is within 1.8 standard deviations of the predictions from the Standard Model assuming lepton flavor universality.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Angular analysis of the $B^+\toπ^+μ^+μ^-$ decay

This paper presents the first measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry, $A_{\rm FB}$, and the flat term, $F_{H}$, that parameterise the angular distribution of the $B^+\toπ^+μ^+μ^-$ decay. The proton-proton collision dataset used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb experiment between 2011 and 2018. The analysis is performed in two intervals of dimuon mass squared, one above and one below the region containing the $J\mskip -3mu/\mskip -2muψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ narrow charmonium resonances. The Standard Model predictions lie within the obtained $68\%$ confidence level interval in the high-mass and within the $99\%$ interval in the low-mass region.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

First measurement of the forward rapidity dependence of $W$ boson transverse helicity fractions

The transverse helicity fractions of $W$ bosons are measured as a function of the $W$ boson rapidity, $y_{W}$, in the range $0 \leq y_{W} \leq 5$ using $W\toμν_μ$ decays in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.1$ fb$^{-1}$. The fractions are extracted from a template fit to the muon transverse momentum and pseudorapidity. The results show a strong rapidity dependence and agree with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions, providing the first determination of the transverse helicity fractions of $W$ bosons in the forward region.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Discovery of an unexpectedly light and narrow beauty-strange state

As the essential building blocks of visible matter, hadrons have traditionally been classified by the quark model as mesons composed of quark-antiquark pairs and baryons built from three valence quarks. Yet, this classical picture does not account for the intricate chiral dynamics of the strong force and the emergence of exotic multi-quark hadrons. While experimental evidence for such unconventional dynamics has surfaced in the charm sector, the open-beauty system remains the long-sought frontier for testing the universality of these mechanisms. Here the observation of a new resonance in the beauty-strange sector with a global significance exceeding seven standard deviations is reported using proton-proton collision data recorded by the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). It exhibits a narrow natural width and a substantial mass deficit compared to the conventional quark model predictions. This result marks the first observation of a nonconventional single-beauty hadron, providing crucial insights into the chiral dynamics of the strong interaction and heavy-quark spin symmetry in the exotic domain.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Measurement of the $Ω_b^-$ baryon lifetime

The lifetime ratio ${r_τ\equivτ_{Ω_b^-}/τ_{Ξ_b^-}}$ between the ${Ω_b^-}$ and ${Ξ_b^-}$ baryons is measured using a sample of $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb$^{-1}$ and collected by the LHCb experiment during LHC Run 2 (2015$-$2018). The ratio $r_τ$ is measured in two sets of decays modes, ${ {(Ω_b^-,Ξ_b^-)\to(Ω_c^0π^-,Ξ_c^0π^-)}}$ and ${(Ω_b^-,Ξ_b^-)\to(J/ψΩ^-, J/ψΞ^-)}$, with ${(Ω_c^0,Ξ_c^0)\to pK^-K^-π^+}$, ${(Ω^-,Ξ^-)\to(Λ^0 K^-,Λ^0π^-)}$, ${Λ^0\to pπ^-}$ and $J/ψ\toμ^+μ^-$. The measured $r_τ$ values are averaged and combined with Run 1 (2011$-$2012) measurements in the same decay modes to obtain ${r_τ = 1.109\pm0.055\pm0.010}$. Multiplying by the known ${Ξ_b^-}$ lifetime results in the ${Ω_b^-}$ lifetime ${τ_{Ω_b^-} = 1.751\pm0.089\pm0.022~{\rm ps}}$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic. This measurement improves on the precision of the $Ω_b^-$ lifetime by about a factor of two over the previous world average. The value of $r_τ$ is in agreement with the most recent theoretical predictions from the heavy quark expansion framework.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Observation of the doubly charmed baryon $\varOmega^+_{cc}$

A search for the doubly charmed baryon $\varOmega^+_{cc}$ in the $\varOmega^0_cπ^+$ decay channel is performed using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6.3\text{fb}^{-1}$, collected with the upgraded LHCb detector in 2024 at a center-of-mass energy of 13.6$\text{TeV}$. A peaking structure with a global significance of $8.7σ$ is observed in the $\varOmega^0_cπ^+$ mass spectrum, where the $\varOmega^0_c$ baryon is reconstructed in the $pK^-K^-π^+$ final state. The structure is consistent with originating from a weakly decaying particle and is identified as the doubly charmed baryon $\varOmega^+_{cc}$. Its mass is determined to be $3725.9 \pm 1.0 \,(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.2 \,(\mathrm{syst}) \pm 0.4 \,(\mathrm{lifetime}) \pm 0.6 \,(\mathrm{ext})\,\text{MeV/}c^2$, where the third uncertainty arises from the dependence of the selection-induced bias on the unknown $\varOmega^+_{cc}$ lifetime, and the fourth is due to the uncertainties on the masses of the $\varOmega^0_c$, $\varXi^+_c$, and $\varXi^{++}_{cc}$ baryons.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Observation of $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} J/ψ$ and evidence for $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} ψ(2S)$ decays

The first search for the beauty baryon decays $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} J/ψ$ and $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} ψ(2S)$ is presented using the proton-proton collision dataset collected by the LHCb experiment between 2016 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The first observation of the decay $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} J/ψ$ is reported and evidence of the decay $Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} ψ(2S)$ is presented. The $Ξ^{0}$ hyperon is fully reconstructed for the first time at an LHC experiment, which is achieved using the $Ξ^{0} \to Λπ^{0}$ decay. The ratio of the branching fractions is measured as $\frac{\cal{B}(Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} ψ(2S))}{\cal{B}(Ξ_{b}^{0} \to Ξ^{0} J/ψ)} = 0.59 \pm 0.19 \text{(stat)} \pm 0.04 \text{(syst)}$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

First measurement of the ratio of $ψ(2S)$-to-$J/ψ$ inclusive production in $p\mathrm{Ar}$ and $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} =113\,\mathrm{GeV}$ with SMOG2

A measurement of the $ψ(2S)$-to-$J/ψ$ production cross-section ratio is performed in proton-argon ($p\mathrm{Ar}$) and proton-proton ($pp$) collisions in fixed-target mode at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=113\,\mathrm{GeV}$. Data samples were collected by the LHCb experiment during argon and hydrogen gas injections in the SMOG2 storage cell, resulting in $p\mathrm{Ar}$ and $pp$ collisions, respectively. The $ψ(2S)$-to-$J/ψ$ production cross-section ratio is measured as a function of the charmonium transverse momentum, $p_{\mathrm{T}}$, and rapidity in the centre-of-mass system, $y^{*}$. The $ψ(2S)$-to-$J/ψ$ ratio in $p\mathrm{Ar}$ collisions over that in $pp$ collisions is measured to be $0.90 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.02$ for $-2.3<y^{*}<0.0$ and $0<p_{\mathrm{T}}<8\mathrm{GeV}/c$, indicating the emergence of nuclear effects in the $p\mathrm{Ar}$ system. This study acts as a baseline for the interpretation of future measurements with larger systems accessible by the LHCb experiment.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Observation of the $Ξ_c^0 \to pK^-$ decay and measurement of its decay asymmetry

A search for the Cabibbo-suppressed decay $Ξ_c^0 \to pK^-$ is performed using $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of $13\,\mathrm{TeV}$. The decay is observed for the first time and its branching fraction measured to be $(4.5\pm0.5\pm0.2\pm0.9)\times10^{-5}$, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from the branching fraction of the normalisation channel $Ξ_b^- \to Ξ_c^0 (\to p K^- K^- π^+) π^-$. Using the decay chain $Ξ_b^- \to Ξ_c^0(\to pK^-)π^-$, the decay asymmetry parameter of the $Ξ_c^0 \to pK^-$ decay is determined to be $α_{Ξ_c^0}=0.32\pm0.15\pm0.01$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Measurement of the average transverse momentum of forward prompt charged particles in $pp$ and $p\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02\; \mathrm{TeV}$

This letter presents the first measurements of the average transverse momentum of prompt charged particles in $pp$ and $p\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions as a function of collision multiplicity and pseudorapidity. The data were recorded at nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02\; \mathrm{TeV}$ with the LHCb experiment. The pseudorapidity dependence of the multiplicity distribution is also measured. The average transverse momentum results show a decreasing trend with pseudorapidity, more pronounced in high-multiplicity events, consistent with the collective behaviour of the produced matter. The measurements are reproduced by state-of-the-art (3+1D) hydrodynamic calculations, while saturation models are not compatible with the data.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2026

Search for $B$ meson decays to multimuon final states

A search for decays of $B$ mesons to final states with four or six muons using $pp$ collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4~\text{fb}^{-1}$ is presented. The decay modes of interest are $B_{(s)}^0 \rightarrow μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-$, $B^+ \rightarrow K^+μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-$, $B_{(s)}^0 \rightarrow μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-$ and $B^+ \rightarrow K^+μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-$, proceeding via both prompt and long-lived intermediate particles. No evidence for any of the signal modes is found, and upper limits spanning the range of $0.6\times10^{-9}$ to $5.4\times10^{-7}$ at the $95\%$ confidence level are set on their branching fractions, depending on the intermediate-particle masses and lifetimes. In addition, mass-integrated limits across the intermediate-particle lifetime ranges considered in this analysis are determined.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Angular analysis of the decay ${\it Λ}_{\it b}^{0} \to {\it Λ}(1520){\it μ^{+}μ^{-}}$

The first angular analysis of ${\it Λ}_{\it b}^{0} \to {\it Λ}(1520){\it μ^{+}μ^{-}}$ decays is presented, using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. The leptonic forward-backward asymmetry, $A_\text{FB, 3/2}^\ell$, and the $CP$-averaged angular observable, $S_{1cc}$, are determined by fitting projections of the angular distributions in four intervals of the square of the dimuon invariant mass between 0.1 and 12.5 GeV$^2/c^4$. The results are in good agreement with predictions based on the Standard Model of particle physics.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2026

Study of muon-tagged $D_{s1}(2460)^+$ and $D_{s1}(2536)^+$ decays to the $D_s^{+}π^+π^-$ final state

Decays of the pseudovector $D_{s1}(2460)^+$ and $D_{s1}(2536)^+$ mesons to the three-body $D_{s}^+π^+π^-$ final state are studied. The data sample is based on decays of beauty hadrons into $D_{s1}^+$ states accompanied by a muon from the $b$-hadron decay chain collected by the LHCb detector during 2016--2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb${}^{-1}$. The \mbox{$D_{s1}(2536)^+\to D_s^+π^+π^-$} branching fraction is measured for the first time, with the $D_{s1}(2536)^+\to D^+K^+π^-$ decay used as a reference. A simultaneous amplitude analysis of the $D_{s1}(2460)^+$ and $D_{s1}(2536)^+\to D_s^+π^+π^-$ decays is performed. The Dalitz-plot distributions of the two decays are found to be significantly different, suggesting differences in the internal structure of the two states, with evidence of exotic contributions to the $D_{s}^+π^{\pm}$ channel with the pole below the $DK$ threshold. Measurements of the masses of the $D_{s1}(2460)^+$ and $D_{s1}(2536)^+$ states are performed, and an upper limit on the $D_{s1}(2460)^+$ width is set.

hep-ex↗