Study of Heavy Quark Physics with the BaBar Detector

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal requests support for the research program in experimental particle physics of a Stanford University group whose primary goal is the elucidation of the source of CP violation through the study of the decay of mesons containing the bottom quark. The program will be carried out with the BaBar detector and PEP-II storage ring at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Within the BaBar collaboration, this group has been responsible for all detector monitoring and control hardware for the Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT), and for the SVT data acquisition software. In the period of this request, the group intends to maintain the SVT systems they designed, built and commissioned: a radiation monitoring and beam interlock system based on PIN diodes near the beam pipe, a position-monitoring system for the SVT and drift chamber, a temperature monitoring and power supply interlock system for the SVT readout electronics, and a gas and fluid monitoring system for the SVT. The PI recently completed a one-year term as Physics Analysis Coordinator (PAC), preceded by a term as Deputy PAC. During her term as PAC, the BaBar collaboration presented its first preliminary results on the CP-violating phase, b, the B lifetimes, the B0 B0-bar mixing rate, radiative Penguin decays, charmless hadronic B decays, and other analyses at the International Conference on High Energy Physics in Osaka, Japan. The Stanford group contributed to various aspects of the lifetime, mixing, and CP analyses. The focus of this group will be on continued analysis of BaBar data, concentrating on B lifetimes and mixing, rare decays such as B+ - t+ nt and B+ - K+ n n-bar, and charm baryon physics.