Search

The ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to {\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}{D}_s^{-}{K}^{+}{K}^{-}$ decay is observed for the first time using the data sample from proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The ratio of branching fraction to that of ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to {\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}{D}_s^{-}$ decays is measured as $0.0141\pm 0.0019\pm 0.0012$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. A search for hidden-charm pentaquarks with strangeness is performed in the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}{D}_s^{-}$ system. No evidence is found, and upper limits on the production ratio of $P_{c\overline{c}s}(4338{)}^0$ and $P_{c\overline{c}s}(4459{)}^0$ pentaquarks relative to the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}{D}_s^{-}$ final state are set at the 95% confidence level as 0.12 and 0.20, respectively.

A precision measurement of the muon charge asymmetry from $W$-boson decays in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$ is presented. The analysis utilizes data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.1{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$, recorded by the LHCb detector during 2016, 2017, and 2018. The asymmetry is measured for muons with transverse momentum between 25 and 55 GeV and pseudorapidity between 2.0 and 4.5. This result represents the most precise determination of the muon charge asymmetry in the forward region to date, exhibiting excellent agreement with next-to-next-to-leading-order predictions in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. The measured asymmetries are corrected for experimental efficiencies, resolution, and final-state photon radiation.

Searches are presented for $B_c^{+}\to D{h}^{+}{h}^{-}$ decays, where $D$ is a charmed meson and $h^{\pm }$ is a charged pion or kaon, using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The decays $B_c^{+}\to D^{+}{K}^{+}{\pi }^{-}$, $B_c^{+}\to D^{*+}{K}^{+}{\pi }^{-}$, and $B_c^{+}\to D_s^{+}{K}^{+}{K}^{-}$ are observed for the first time. Their branching fractions, expressed as ratios relative to that of the $B_c^{+}\to B_s^0{\pi }^{+}$ decay, are determined to be $\mathcal{R}(B_c^{+}\to D^{+}{K}^{+}{\pi }^{-})=(1.96\pm 0.23\pm 0.08\pm 0.10)\times {10}^{-3}$, $\mathcal{R}(B_c^{+}\to D^{*+}{K}^{+}{\pi }^{-})=(3.67\pm 0.55\pm 0.24\pm 0.20)\times {10}^{-3}$, $\mathcal{R}(B_c^{+}\to D_s^{+}{K}^{+}{K}^{-})=(1.61\pm 0.35\pm 0.13\pm 0.07)\times {10}^{-3}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is due to the limited precision on the $D$-meson branching fractions. The decay channels proceed primarily through excited $K^0$ or $D^0$ resonances or $\varphi$ mesons, and open a new avenue for studies of charge-parity violation in beauty mesons.

The time-dependent $CP$ asymmetry in $B^0\to J/\psi \rho (770{)}^0$ decays is measured using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV during the years 2015–2018. The $CP$-violation parameters for this process are determined to be $2{\beta }_{c\overline{c}d}^{\mathrm{eff}}=0.710\pm 0.084\pm 0.051\mathrm{rad}$ and $|\lambda |=1.019\pm 0.034\pm 0.024$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This constitutes the first observation of time-dependent $CP$ violation in $B^0\to J/\psi \rho (770{)}^0$ decays. Assuming approximate SU(3) flavor symmetry, these results are combined with the previous consistent LHCb measurement to set the most stringent constraint on the penguin contribution, $\mathrm{\Delta }{\varphi }_s$, to the $CP$-violating phase ${\varphi }_s$ in $B_s^0\to J/\psi \varphi (1020)$ decays, yielding $\mathrm{\Delta }{\varphi }_s=5.0\pm 4.6\mathrm{mrad}$.

The first measurement of the polarization of charm baryons by the LHCb experiment recorded in fixed-target mode is presented. The polarization of ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c$ baryons is studied in collisions of protons, at an energy of 2.51 TeV, incident on a gaseous target of neon, at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 68.6 GeV. The world’s first measurement of separate-charge polarizations for ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}$ and ${\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}}_c^{-}$ baryons is performed, determining $P_{{\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}}=(24\pm 9\pm 2)\%$, $P_{{\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}}_c^{-}}=(-8\pm 12\pm 3)\%$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The polarization is also measured in intervals of baryon transverse momentum and the Feynman-$x$ variable.

A measurement of the flavor-untagged decay-time-integrated $CP$ asymmetry in the flavor-specific decay $B_s^0\to D_s^{-}{\pi }^{+}$, $⟨A_{\text{untagged}}^s⟩$, is performed using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment between 2016 and 2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The $CP$ asymmetry is measured in two $D_s^{-}$ meson decay modes, $D_s^{-}\to K^{-}{K}^{+}{\pi }^{-}$ and $D_s^{-}\to {\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}$. The combined result, $⟨A_{\text{untagged}}^s⟩=(-1.4\pm 5.9(\mathrm{stat})\pm 1.1(\mathrm{syst}))\times {10}^{-3}$, is consistent with the Standard Model expectation and provides a direct constraint on new physics in tree-level $b$-hadron decays.

A search for $CP$ violation in the ${\overline{B}}^0\to {\overline{K}}^{*0}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ decay is performed using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment during Run 1 and Run 2, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $8.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The analysis exploits the full angular distribution of the decay, providing sensitivity to $CP$-violating effects in both vector and axial-vector contributions to this flavor-changing neutral-current process. The complex Wilson coefficients are determined within the weak effective theory through an unbinned maximum-likelihood fit to the angular observables, incorporating nonlocal hadronic amplitudes across the full dimuon mass spectrum. The precision of the $CP$-violation observables is improved by an order of magnitude relative to previous measurements, with the imaginary parts of the Wilson coefficients now determined more precisely than the real parts. No significant $CP$ violation is observed, and the results are consistent with the standard model.

The first four-dimensional amplitude analysis of the $B^{+}\to \psi (2S)K_{\mathrm{S}}^0{\pi }^{+}$ decay is performed with proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\mathrm{f}{\mathrm{b}}^{-1}$. The data cannot be fully explained by $B^{+}\to \psi (2S)K^{*+}$ contributions alone. A significantly better description of the data is obtained by adding a $T_{c\overline{c}}^{+}$ contribution decaying to $\psi (2S){\pi }^{+}$. The properties of the $T_{c\overline{c}}^{+}$ structure are consistent with the exotic state $T_{c\overline{c}1}(4430{)}^{+}$ reported in the isospin-related ${\overline{B}}^0\to \psi (2S)K^{-}{\pi }^{+}$ decay. Effects of a possible $T_{c\overline{c}1}(4430{)}^{+}\to {\overline{D}}_1^{*}(2600{)}^0{D}^{+}$ decay mode on the $T_{c\overline{c}1}(4430{)}^{+}\to \psi (2S){\pi }^{+}$ mass distribution are investigated through a Flatté parametrization, providing constraints on the relative decay strength. A description of the $T_{c\overline{c}1}(4430{)}^{+}$ structure using the triangle singularity mechanism is studied and also found to be consistent with the data.

The first measurements of the top- and antitop-quark differential production cross sections and the top-quark charge asymmetry in the forward region are presented, using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The total production cross sections of top and antitop quarks are also determined. Measurements are performed using the $\mu +b\text{-jet}$ final state within a fiducial region defined by $b$-jet $p_{\mathrm{T},\text{jet}}>50\mathrm{GeV}$ and pseudorapidity $2.2<{\eta }_{\text{jet}}<4.0$, with the muon from the $W$-boson decay required to have $p_{\mathrm{T},\mu }>25\mathrm{GeV}$ and $2.0<{\eta }_{\mu }<4.5$. The muon and $b$-jet system must satisfy $p_{\mathrm{T}}(\mu +\text{jet})>20\mathrm{GeV}$. The measured integrated production cross sections for the top and antitop quarks are ${\sigma }_t=0.95\pm 0.04\pm 0.08\pm 0.02\mathrm{pb}$, ${\sigma }_{\overline{t}}=0.81\pm 0.03\pm 0.07\pm 0.02\mathrm{pb}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third accounts for the luminosity uncertainty. The top-quark charge asymmetry is measured to be $A_C^t=0.08\pm 0.03\pm 0.01$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. These results are consistent with next-to-leading order Standard Model predictions.

We report on the measurement of spin density matrix elements of the $\mathrm{\Lambda }\left(1520\right)$ in the photoproduction reaction $\gamma p\to \mathrm{\Lambda }\left(1520\right)K^{+}$, via its subsequent decay to $K^{-}p$. The measurement was performed as part of the GlueX experimental program in Hall D at Jefferson Laboratory using a linearly polarized photon beam with $E_{\gamma }=8.2\mathrm{GeV}\text{–}8.8\mathrm{GeV}$. These are the first such measurements in this photon energy range. Results are presented in bins of momentum transfer squared, $-(t-t_{\text{0}})$. We compare the results with a Reggeon exchange model and determine that natural exchange amplitudes are dominant in $\mathrm{\Lambda }\left(1520\right)$ photoproduction.

Based on $334{\mathrm{pb}}^{-1}$ of photoproduction data collected with the GlueX detector at Jefferson Lab, we have measured for the first time the cross section of the exclusive reaction $\gamma +p\to \varphi (1020){\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}p$ by reconstructing the final state $K^{+}{K}^{-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}p$ produced with a photon beam of energies between 8.0 and 11.6 GeV. Based on the measured differential cross section, we have performed a search for the strangeoniumlike exotic candidate $Y(2175)$, recently renamed to $\varphi (2170)$. This state has been reported by different $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ annihilation experiments and it is addressed here for the first time in a photoproduction experiment. We do not find evidence for this state when using the resonance parameters quoted by the Particle Data Group and provide upper limits on the photoproduction cross section. Instead, we find a structure at a mass of $m(\varphi {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-})=2.24\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$ with a statistical significance of about $5\sigma$. The parameters of this structure differ from those quoted by the Particle Data Group for the $\varphi (2170)$ and are consistent with a previous observation in $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ annihilation. In addition, there is evidence for a second structure at $1.82\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$.

A search for $K_{\mathrm{S}(\mathrm{L})}^0\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ decays is performed using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. No $K_{\mathrm{S}(\mathrm{L})}^0\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ signals are found and upper limits are set for the first time on the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(K_{\mathrm{S}}^0\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})<1.4\times {10}^{-9}$ and $\mathcal{B}(K_{\mathrm{L}}^0\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})<6.6\times {10}^{-7}$, at the 90% confidence level.

We describe the formalism to analyze the mathematical ambiguities arising in partial-wave analysis of two spinless mesons produced with a linearly polarized photon beam. We show that partial waves are uniquely defined when all accessible observables are considered, for a wave set which includes $S$ and $D$ waves. The inclusion of higher partial waves does not affect our results, and we conclude that there are no mathematical ambiguities in partial-wave analysis of two mesons produced with a linearly polarized photon beam. We present Monte Carlo simulations to illustrate our results.

A flavor-tagged time-dependent analysis of $B^0\to K_{\mathrm{S}}^0{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ decays is performed across the full dimuon mass range excluding the $J/\psi$ and $\psi (2S)$ resonance regions. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment in 2011–2018 at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The $CP$ violation parameters are determined to be $C=-0.13\pm 0.32\pm 0.04$, $S=+0.82\pm 0.29\pm 0.05$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The results are consistent with the standard model prediction. This is the first experimental study of time-dependent $CP$ violation in $b\to s{\ell }^{+}{\ell }^{-}$ processes.

The collinear and transverse-momentum-dependent jet fragmentation function and the radial profile for $B^{\pm }$ mesons in jets are measured. The $B^{\pm }$ mesons are reconstructed through the $J/\psi (\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})K^{\pm }$ decay channel using proton-proton collision data collected during 2016–2018 with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass (c.m.) energy of $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The results complement recent measurements of jet fragmentation functions for heavy-flavor hadrons and suggest a growing contribution of gluon fragmentation to $B^{\pm }$ mesons as the jet transverse momentum increases.

We present a search for axionlike particles, $a$, produced in photon-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of approximately 4 GeV, focusing on the scenario where the $a$-gluon coupling is dominant. The search uses $a\to \gamma \gamma$ and $a\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^0$ decays, and a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $168{\mathrm{pb}}^{-1}$ collected with the GlueX detector. The search for $a\to \gamma \gamma$ decays is performed in the mass range of $180<m_a<480\mathrm{MeV}$, while the search for $a\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^0$ decays explores the $600<m_a<720\mathrm{MeV}$ region. No evidence for a signal is found, and 90% confidence-level exclusion limits are placed on the $a$-gluon coupling strength. These constraints are the most stringent to date over much of the mass ranges considered.

A sample of $pp$ collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$ and collected by the LHCb experiment during LHC Run 2, is used to measure the ratio of the lifetime of the ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0$ baryon to that of the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0$ baryon, $r_{\tau }\equiv {\tau }_{{\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0}/{\tau }_{{\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0}$. The value $r_{\tau }^{\mathrm{Run}2}=1.004\pm 0.009\pm 0.006$ 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 $r_{\tau }=1.004\pm 0.008\pm 0.005$. Multiplying by the known value of the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0$ lifetime yields ${\tau }_{{\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0}=1.475\pm 0.012\pm 0.008\pm 0.009\mathrm{ps}$, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0$ lifetime. This measurement improves the precision of the current world average of the ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0$ lifetime by about a factor of two, and is in good agreement with the most recent theoretical predictions.

An analysis of the $B^0\to K^{*0}(\to K^{+}{\pi }^{-}){\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ decay is presented using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $8.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The full set of $CP$-averaged and $CP$-asymmetric angular observables is determined in bins of the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system, as well as the branching fraction relative to the $B^0\to J/\psi (\to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})K^{+}{\pi }^{-}$ decay. For the first time, the full set of observables pertaining to the $K^{+}{\pi }^{-}$ S-wave contribution to the final state are presented and consideration is given to effects arising from the mass of the muons. The extracted $CP$-asymmetry observables show no significant deviations from zero. The measurements of the $CP$-averaged observables and the branching fractions continue to exhibit the pattern of tensions with the standard model predictions that have been seen in previous analyses that use part of the dataset considered in this Letter.

A search for the rare decay $B^{+}\to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. An excess of events is found with respect to the background-only expectation, with a signal significance of 3.5 standard deviations, in the low invariant-mass region of $m(\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p)<2.8\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$. The branching fraction is measured to be ${\mathcal{B}}_{\mathrm{low}}(B^{+}\to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})=(1.70_{-0.56}^{+0.65}(\mathrm{stat})\pm 0.17(\mathrm{syst})\pm 0.14(\mathrm{ext}))\times {10}^{-8}$, where the last uncertainty is due to external inputs on $\mathcal{B}(B^{+}\to J/\psi \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p)\times \mathcal{B}(J/\psi \to {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})$. With no significant signal observed in the high $m(\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p)$ region above $2.8\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$, an upper limit is set to be ${\mathcal{B}}_{\mathrm{high}}(B^{+}\to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-})<2.8(3.7)\times {10}^{-9}$ at the 90% (95%) confidence level.

The first evidence for the decay $B^{+}\to {\pi }^{+}{e}^{+}{e}^{-}$ is reported using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. A signal excess with a significance of $3.2\sigma$ is observed and the branching fraction is measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B^{+}\to {\pi }^{+}{e}^{+}{e}^{-})=({2.4}_{-0.8}^{+0.9}{}_{-0.2}^{+0.4})\times {10}^{-8}$, where the first set of uncertainties is statistical and the second is systematic. The result is consistent with the Standard Model expectation.