Flavour (particle physics) | EPFL Graph Search

In particle physics, flavour or flavor refers to the species of an elementary particle. The Standard Model counts six flavours of quarks and six flavours of leptons. They are conventionally parameterized with flavour quantum numbers that are assigned to all subatomic particles. They can also be described by some of the family symmetries proposed for the quark-lepton generations. Quantum numbers In classical mechanics, a force acting on a point-like particle can only alter the particle's dynamical state, i.e., its momentum, angular momentum, etc. Quantum field theory, however, allows interactions that can alter other facets of a particle's nature described by non dynamical, discrete quantum numbers. In particular, the action of the weak force is such that it allows the conversion of quantum numbers describing mass and electric charge of both quarks and leptons from one discrete type to another. This is known as a flavour change, or flavour transmutation. Due to their quan

Measurement of lifetimes for heavy flavour mesons using semileptonic B decays at LHCb

Brice Emile Maurin

This thesis work presents lifetime measurements of heavy-flavour mesons made with semileptonic

B^0

and

B^0_s

decays based on

3~{\rm fb}^{-1}

of data collected with the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The study of meson lifetimes is important to constrain phenomenological models for hadronic interactions based on the Standard Model of particle physics. Better understanding of hadronic interactions is essential for making precise predictions, which can then be confronted to experimental data in order to look for signs of physics beyond the Standard Model. We measure the differences between the decay widths of the

B^0_s

and

B^0

mesons,

\Delta(B)

, and between that of the

D_s^-

and

D^-

mesons,

\Delta(D)

, by analysing approximately 410000

B^0_s \to D_{s}^{(*)-}\mu^{+}\nu_{\mu}

and 110000

B^0 \to D^{(*)-}\mu^{+}\nu_{\mu}

decays, which are partially reconstructed in the same

K^+K^-\pi^-\mu^+

final state. We measure

\Delta(B) = -0.0115 \pm 0.0053~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0041~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}

and

\Delta(D) = 1.0131 \pm 0.0117~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0065~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}.

Using the obtained values of

\Delta(D)

and

\Delta(B)

and the

B^0

and

D^-

lifetimes as external inputs, we obtain a measurement of the flavour-specific

B^0_s

lifetime,

\tau_s^{\rm fs} = 1.547 \pm 0.013~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.010~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.004~{\rm(\tau_{B^0})}~{\rm ps},

and of the

D_s^-

lifetime,

\tau_{D_s^-} = 0.5064 \pm 0.0030~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0017~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.0017~{\rm(\tau_{D^-})}~{\rm ps},

where the last uncertainties originate from the limited knowledge of the

B^0

and

D^-

lifetimes, respectively. Both results are compatible with, and improve upon, previous determinations. A feasibility study of a

D^0

lifetime measurement is performed, by measuring the difference between the decay widths of the

D^0

and

D^-

mesons,

\Delta(D)'

. We reconstruct approximately

2.2\times 10^6

B^0\to D^{*-}(\to \bar{D}^0 (\to K^+\pi^-)\pi^-)\mu^+\nu_{\mu}

and

1.6\times 10^6

B^0\to D^{(*)-}(\to K^+\pi^-\pi^- (X))\mu^+\nu_{\mu}

decays. We measure

\Delta(D)' = 1.4644 \pm 0.0043~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0132~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}

and with the

D^-

lifetime as external input, we get an estimate of the

D^0

lifetime,

\tau_{D^0} = 0.4122 \pm 0.0007~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0022~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.0011~{\rm(\tau_{D^-})}~{\rm ps}.

This result is compatible with, but less precise than, current precision and thus validates the method. We discuss possible improvements with larger simulation samples and data sets.

EPFL2018

Measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B0->Dpi decays and optimisation of flavour tagging algorithms at LHCb

Vincenzo Battista

This thesis presents the results of a time-dependent analysis of

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

decays using

3~\rm fb^{-1}

of proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider during Run 1 with a centre-of-mass energy of

7

(2011) and

8

(2012) TeV. The LHCb experiment is dedicated to the study of the properties of

b

-flavoured hadrons, in particular

CP

violation in the

B

meson system. The Standard Model of Particle Physics describes very precisely the mechanism and the amount of

CP

violation expected in the Universe. However, the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry is larger by several order of magnitude compared to the predictions. This could be explained by the existence of a new source of

CP

violation, originating in New Physics beyond the Standard Model. The time-dependent analysis of

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

decays provides constraints on the angle

\gamma

of the Unitarity Triangle, one of the fundamental parameters of the Standard Model related to

CP

violation. Since no sizeable high-order Standard Model processes are expected to contribute, any deviation from the predictions would be an unambiguous signature of New Physics. The current experimental precision on

\gamma

is significantly lower than that of theoretical predictions. This motivates the effort for new experimental determinations of

\gamma

in order to reduce its uncertainty. The analysis of

\Bz\to\Dmp\pipm

decays, although not as sensitive as that obtained from decays of charged

B

mesons into

D^{(*)0}K^{(*)+}

final states, represents an independent and uncorrelated estimation of

\gamma

that contributes to the global combination of all

\gamma

measurements. The result obtained in this thesis is more precise than previous determinations from other experiments (BaBar, Belle) using

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

decays. Although based on a very large sample of about half a million signal events, it is still dominated by statistical uncertainties, indicating good prospects for future improvements in precision with more data from Run 2 and beyond. In addition to the

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

analysis, this thesis also summarizes the studies to improve the performances of the flavour tagging algorithms used by the LHCb collaboration to infer the flavour of neutral

B

mesons in time-dependent analyses. The performance of these algorithms, being correlated with the kinematics of the reconstructed particles as well as the complexity of the event (number of tracks and primary vertices), showed a significant decrease on Run 2 data (2015--2018), which were collected at a centre-of-mass energy of

13~\rm TeV

. Thanks to new implementations, these algorithms now have a performance similar to that obtained with Run 1 data.

EPFL2018

Measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B0->Dpi decays and optimisation of flavour tagging algorithms at LHCb

Vincenzo Battista

This thesis presents the results of a time-dependent analysis of

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

decays using

3~\rm fb^{-1}

of proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider during Run 1 with a centre-of-mass energy of

7

(2011) and

8

(2012) TeV. The LHCb experiment is dedicated to the study of the properties of

b

-flavoured hadrons, in particular

CP

violation in the

B

meson system. The Standard Model of Particle Physics describes very precisely the mechanism and the amount of

CP

CP

violation, originating in New Physics beyond the Standard Model. The time-dependent analysis of

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

decays provides constraints on the angle

\gamma

of the Unitarity Triangle, one of the fundamental parameters of the Standard Model related to

CP

\gamma

is significantly lower than that of theoretical predictions. This motivates the effort for new experimental determinations of

\gamma

in order to reduce its uncertainty. The analysis of

\Bz\to\Dmp\pipm

decays, although not as sensitive as that obtained from decays of charged

B

mesons into

D^{(*)0}K^{(*)+}

final states, represents an independent and uncorrelated estimation of

\gamma

that contributes to the global combination of all

\gamma

measurements. The result obtained in this thesis is more precise than previous determinations from other experiments (BaBar, Belle) using

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

B^0\to D^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}

analysis, this thesis also summarizes the studies to improve the performances of the flavour tagging algorithms used by the LHCb collaboration to infer the flavour of neutral

B

13~\rm TeV

. Thanks to new implementations, these algorithms now have a performance similar to that obtained with Run 1 data.

EPFL2018

Measurement of lifetimes for heavy flavour mesons using semileptonic B decays at LHCb

Brice Emile Maurin

This thesis work presents lifetime measurements of heavy-flavour mesons made with semileptonic

B^0

and

B^0_s

decays based on

3~{\rm fb}^{-1}

B^0_s

and

B^0

mesons,

\Delta(B)

, and between that of the

D_s^-

and

D^-

mesons,

\Delta(D)

, by analysing approximately 410000

B^0_s \to D_{s}^{(*)-}\mu^{+}\nu_{\mu}

and 110000

B^0 \to D^{(*)-}\mu^{+}\nu_{\mu}

decays, which are partially reconstructed in the same

K^+K^-\pi^-\mu^+

final state. We measure

\Delta(B) = -0.0115 \pm 0.0053~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0041~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}

and

\Delta(D) = 1.0131 \pm 0.0117~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0065~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}.

Using the obtained values of

\Delta(D)

and

\Delta(B)

and the

B^0

and

D^-

lifetimes as external inputs, we obtain a measurement of the flavour-specific

B^0_s

lifetime,

\tau_s^{\rm fs} = 1.547 \pm 0.013~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.010~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.004~{\rm(\tau_{B^0})}~{\rm ps},

and of the

D_s^-

lifetime,

\tau_{D_s^-} = 0.5064 \pm 0.0030~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0017~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.0017~{\rm(\tau_{D^-})}~{\rm ps},

where the last uncertainties originate from the limited knowledge of the

B^0

and

D^-

lifetimes, respectively. Both results are compatible with, and improve upon, previous determinations. A feasibility study of a

D^0

lifetime measurement is performed, by measuring the difference between the decay widths of the

D^0

and

D^-

mesons,

\Delta(D)'

. We reconstruct approximately

2.2\times 10^6

B^0\to D^{*-}(\to \bar{D}^0 (\to K^+\pi^-)\pi^-)\mu^+\nu_{\mu}

and

1.6\times 10^6

B^0\to D^{(*)-}(\to K^+\pi^-\pi^- (X))\mu^+\nu_{\mu}

decays. We measure

\Delta(D)' = 1.4644 \pm 0.0043~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0132~{\rm(syst)}~{\rm ps}^{-1}

and with the

D^-

lifetime as external input, we get an estimate of the

D^0

lifetime,

\tau_{D^0} = 0.4122 \pm 0.0007~{\rm(stat)} \pm 0.0022~{\rm (syst)} \pm 0.0011~{\rm(\tau_{D^-})}~{\rm ps}.

This result is compatible with, but less precise than, current precision and thus validates the method. We discuss possible improvements with larger simulation samples and data sets.

EPFL2018