Mixing asymmetries inBmeson systems, the D0 like-sign dimuon asymmetry, and generic new physics

2015

The measurement of a large like-sign dimuon asymmetry $A^b_{SL}$ by the D0 experiment at the Tevatron departs noticeably from Standard Model expectations and it may be interpreted as a hint of physics beyond the Standard Model contributing to $\Delta B\neq 0$ transitions. In this work we analyse how the natural suppression of $A^b_{SL}$ in the SM can be circumvented by New Physics. We consider generic Standard Model extensions where the charged current mixing matrix is enlarged with respect to the usual $3\times 3$ unitary Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, and show how, within this framework, a significant enhancement over Standard Model expectations for $A^b_{SL}$ is easily reachable throu…

NEXT-100 Technical Design Report (TDR). Executive summary

2012

[EN] In this Technical Design Report (TDR) we describe the NEXT-100 detector that will search for neutrinoless double beta decay (ßß0v) in 136XE at the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc (LSC), in Spain. The document formalizes the design presented in our Conceptual Design Report (CDR): an electroluminescence time projection chamber, with separate readout planes for calorimetry and tracking, located, respectively, behind cathode and anode. The detector is designed to hold a maximum of about 150 kg of xenon at 15 bar, or 100 kg at 10 bar. This option builds in the capability to increase the total isotope mass by 50% while keeping the operating pressure at a manageable level. The readout pla…

Unitarity Triangles and the Search for New Physics

2002

Assuming that the Kobayashi-Maskawa mechanism gives the dominant contribution to CP violation at low energies, we propose a novel way of testing the flavour sector of the Standard Model which has the potencial for discovering New Physics. Using 3 x 3 unitarity of the V_{CKM} matrix and choosing a complete set of rephasing invariant phases, we derive a set of exact relations in terms of measurable quantities, namely moduli of V_{CKM} and arguments of rephasing invariant quartets. These tests complement the usual analysis in the \rho, \eta plane and, if there is New Physics, may reveal its source.

SiPMs coated with TPB: coating protocol and characterization for NEXT

2012

[EN] Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM) are the photon detectors chosen for the tracking readout in NEXT, a neutrinoless \bb decay experiment which uses a high pressure gaseous xenon time projection chamber (TPC). The reconstruction of event track and topology in this gaseous detector is a key handle for background rejection. Among the commercially available sensors that can be used for tracking, SiPMs offer important advantages, mainly high gain, ruggedness, cost-effectiveness and radio-purity. Their main drawback, however, is their non sensitivity in the emission spectrum of the xenon scintillation (peak at 175 nm). This is overcome by coating these sensors with the organic wavelength shifte…

Invariant approach to flavor-dependent CP-violating phases in the MSSM

2004

We use a new weak basis invariant approach to classify all the observable phases in any extension of the Standard Model (SM). We apply this formalism to determine the invariant CP phases in a simplified version of the Minimal Supersymmetric SM with only three non-trivial flavour structures. We propose four experimental measures to fix completely all the observable phases in the model. After these phases have been determined from experiment, we are able to make predictions on any other CP-violating observable in the theory, much in the same way as in the Standard Model all CP-violation observables are proportional to the Jarlskog invariant.

Two-Higgs leptonic minimal flavour violation

2011

We construct extensions of the Standard Model with two Higgs doublets, where there are flavour changing neutral currents both in the quark and leptonic sectors, with their strength fixed by the fermion mixing matrices $V_{CKM}$ and $V_{PMNS}$. These models are an extension to the leptonic sector of the class of models previously considered by Branco, Grimus and Lavoura, for the quark sector. We consider both the cases of Dirac and Majorana neutrinos and identify the minimal discrete symmetry required in order to implement the models in a natural way.

New Physics and Evidence for a Complex CKM

2005

We carefully analyse the present experimental evidence for a complex CKM matrix, even allowing for New Physics contributions to $\epsilon_{K}$, $a_{J/\Psi K_S}$, $\Delta M_{B_{d}}$, $\Delta M_{B_{s}}$, and the $\Delta I=1/2$ piece of $B\to\rho\rho$ and $B\to\rho\pi$. We emphasize the crucial r\^ ole played by the angle $\gamma$ in both providing irrefutable evidence for a complex CKM matrix and placing constraints on the size of NP contributions. It is shown that even if one allows for New Physics a real CKM matrix is excluded at a 99.92% C.L., and the probability for the phase $\gamma$ to be in the interval $[-170^\circ;-10^\circ]\cup [10^\circ;170^\circ]$ is 99.7%.

Novel T-Violation observable open to any pair of decay channels at meson factories

2013

Quantum entanglement between the two neutral mesons produced in meson factories has allowed the first indisputable direct observation of Time Reversal Violation in the time evolution of the neutral meson between the two decays. The exceptional meson transitions are directly connected to semileptonic and CP eigenstate decay channels. The possibility of extending the observable asymmetries to more decay channels confronts the problem of the “orthogonality condition”, which can be stated with this tongue-twister: Given a decay channel f , which is the decay channel f′f′ such that the meson state not decaying to f′f′ is orthogonal to the meson state not decaying to f? In this Letter we propose …

A flavour physics scenario for the 750 GeV diphoton anomaly

2016

A simple variant of a realistic flavor symmetry scheme for fermion masses and mixings provides a possible interpretation of the diphoton anomaly as an electroweak singlet ``flavon.'' The existence of TeV scale vectorlike T-quarks required to provide adequate values for Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) parameters can also naturally account for the diphoton anomaly. Correlations between ${V}_{ub}$ and ${V}_{cb}$ with the vectorlike T-quark mass can be predicted. Should the diphoton anomaly survive in a future run, our proposed interpretation can also be tested in upcoming B and LHC studies.

CPT violation in entangled B0–B¯0 states and the demise of flavour tagging

2005

Abstract We discuss the demise of flavour tagging due to the loss of the particle–antiparticle identity of neutral B -mesons in the Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen correlated states. Such a situation occurs in cases where the CPT operator is ill-defined, as happens, for example, in quantum gravity models with induced decoherence in the matter sector. The time evolution of the perturbed B 0 – B ¯ 0 initial state, as produced in B -factories, is sufficient to generate new two-body states. For flavour specific decays at equal times, we discuss two definite tests of the two body entanglement: (i) search for the would-be forbidden B 0 B 0 and B ¯ 0 B ¯ 0 states; (ii) deviations from the indistinguishabl…

The size of and physics beyond the Standard Model

2005

Abstract We analyse the allowed range of values of χ , both in the Standard Model and in models with new physics, pointing out that a relatively large value of χ , e.g., of order λ , is only possible in models where the unitarity of the 3 × 3 Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa matrix is violated through the introduction of extra Q = 2 / 3 quarks. We study the interesting case where the extra quark is an isosinglet, determining the allowed range for χ and the effect of a large χ on various low-energy observables, such as CP asymmetries in B meson decays. We also discuss the correlated effects which would be observable at high energy colliders, like decays t → c Z , modifications of the cross section …

Quark-lepton mass relation and CKM mixing in an A(4) extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model

2013

An interesting mass relation between down-type quarks and charged leptons has been recently predicted within a supersymmetric SU(3)(c) circle times SU(2)(L) circle times U(1)(Y) model based on the A(4) flavor symmetry. Here we propose a simple extension which provides an adequate full description of the quark sector. By adding a pair of vectorlike up quarks, we show how the CKM entries V-ub, V-cb, V-td and V-ts arise from deviations of the unitarity. We perform an analysis including the most relevant observables in the quark sector, such as oscillations and rare decays of kaons, B-d and B-s mesons. In the lepton sector, the model predicts an inverted hierarchy for the neutrino masses, leadi…

Radiopurity control in the NEXT-100 double beta decay experiment: procedures and initial measurements

2013

[EN] The "Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon Time-Projection Chamber" (NEXT) is intended to investigate the neutrinoless double beta decay of Xe-136, which requires a severe suppression of potential backgrounds. An extensive screening and material selection process is underway for NEXT since the control of the radiopurity levels of the materials to be used in the experimental set-up is a must for rare event searches. First measurements based on Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry and gamma-ray spectroscopy using ultra-low background germanium detectors at the Laboratorio Subterraneo de Canfranc (Spain) are described here. Activity results for natural radioactive chains and other common radionucl…

Vector-like quarks and New Physics in the flavour sector

2013

We present a detailed analysis of recent flavour data in the framework of a simple extension of the Standard Model, where a Q = 2/3 vector-like isosinglet quark is added to the spectrum. Constraints from all the relevant quark flavour sectors are used. Important deviations from Standard Model expectations in different observables such as the semileptonic asymmetry in Bd decays, AdSL, the time-dependent CP asymmetry in Bs ? J/??, and rare decays such as K+ ? ?+? can be obtained.

The Hunt for New Physics in the Flavour Sector with up vector-like quarks

2012

We analyse the possible presence of New Physics (NP) in the Flavour Sector and evaluate its potential for solving the tension between the experimental values of $\AJPKs$ and $\BTNu$ with respect to the Standard Model (SM) expectations. Updated model independent analyses, where NP contributions are allowed in Bd - anti-Bd and Bs - anti-Bs transitions, suggest the need of New Physics in the $bd$ sector. A detailed analysis of recent Flavour data is then presented in the framework of a simple extension of the SM, where a $Q=2/3$ vector-like isosinglet quark is added to the spectrum of the SM. Special emphasis is given to the implications of this model for correlations among various measurable …

CPT violation in entangled B0–B¯0 states and the demise of flavour tagging

AbstractWe discuss the demise of flavour tagging due to the loss of the particle–antiparticle identity of neutral B-mesons in the Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen correlated states. Such a situation occurs in cases where the CPT operator is ill-defined, as happens, for example, in quantum gravity models with induced decoherence in the matter sector. The time evolution of the perturbed B0–B¯0 initial state, as produced in B-factories, is sufficient to generate new two-body states. For flavour specific decays at equal times, we discuss two definite tests of the two body entanglement: (i) search for the would-be forbidden B0B0 and B¯0B¯0 states; (ii) deviations from the indistinguishable probability be…