Search for the Decay B0 -> eta phi at the BABAR Experiment

Presented is a search for the rare hadronic B meson decay B0 -> eta phi. It is based on 86 x 10^6 BB pairs recorded by the BABAR experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center between 1999 and 2002. phi mesons are reconstructed in the channel phi -> K+ K-. eta mesons are reconstructed in the channels eta -> gamma gamma and eta -> pi+ pi- pi0. Signal events are identified by a candidate counting and a maximum-likelihood method. To ensure an unbiased measurement, the number of signal events is blinded throughout the analysis. Although no significant signal is found by either method, the maximum-likelihood method obtains a smaller statistical uncertainty. In this method, the branching fraction of the decay B0 -> eta phi is determined by the upper limit BR (B0 -> eta phi) < 3.28 x 10^-6 (90%). This value includes a systematic uncertainty of 6.2%. The cited upper limit is consistent with recent theoretical predictions. Therefore, this search gives no indication for particle interactions that are not described by the Standard Model of particle physics.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Technische Universität Dresden

Year

2005

Author dc:creator

• Otto, Stephan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Spaan, Bernhard
• Schubert, Klaus R.
• Smith, James G.

• Elementarteilchenphysik
• Hochenergiephysik
• schwache Wechselwirkung
• Elementary Particle Physics
• High Energy Physics
• weak interaction