Abstract
We present a search for the rare decays B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar and B-0 -> K-0 v (v) over bar using 459 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Flavor-changing neutral-current decays such as these are forbidden at tree level but can occur through one-loop diagrams in the standard model (SM), with possible contributions from new physics at the same order. The presence of two neutrinos in the final state makes identification of signal events challenging, so reconstruction in the semileptonic decay channels B -> D-(*) lv of the B meson recoiling from the signal B is used to suppress backgrounds. We set an upper limit at the 90% confidence level (CL) of 1.3 x 10(-5) on the total branching fraction for B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar, and 5.6 x 10(-5) for B-0 -> K-0 v (v) over bar. We additionally report 90% CL upper limits on partial branching fractions in two ranges of dineutrino mass squared for B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar.
We are grateful for the extraordinary contributions of our PEP-II colleagues in achieving the excellent luminosity
and machine conditions that have made this work possible.
The success of this project also relies critically on
the expertise and dedication of the computing organizations
that support BABAR. The collaborating institutions wish to thank SLAC for its support and the kind hospitality
extended to them. This work is supported by the US
Department of Energy and National Science Foundation,
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
(Canada), the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique and Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique
des Particules (France), the Bundesministerium für Bildung
und Forschung and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
(Germany), the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
(Italy), the Foundation for Fundamental Research
on Matter (The Netherlands), the Research Council of
Norway, the Ministry of Education and Science of the
Russian Federation, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
(Spain), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council
(United Kingdom). Individuals have received support
from the Marie-Curie IEF program (European Union),
the A. P. Sloan Foundation (USA) and the Binational
Science Foundation (USA-Israel).
Peer reviewed