Experimental results on pion decays obtained with the PIBETA spectrometer at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) are reviewed. For pion beta decay π+ → π0е+ν (πβ), a precision measurement of relative probability yields Г(πβ) = [1.036 ± 0.004(stat) ± 0.004(syst) ± 0.003(π+→е+ν)] × 10–8, which implies Vud = 0.9728(30) for the corresponding element of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa mixing matrix. Using a sample of 65 × 103 events, relative probability of the π+→е+νγ radiative pion decay (RPD) in the kinematic region of Eγ > 10 MeV and θeγ > 40° is measured as Bexp = 73.86(54) × 10–8. A statistical analysis of measured Ee+ and Eγ distributions for this decay yield the values FV = 0.0258(17) and FA = 0.0117(17) for the pion weak formfactors. Assuming that FV linearly depends on the е+ν invariant mass q2 as FV(q2) = FV(0)(1 + aq2), the slope parameter is extracted as а = 0.10(6). The pion polarizability and neutral-pion lifetime are estimated as αE = 2.78(10) × 10–4 fm3 and τ(π0) = (8.5 ± 1.1) × 10–17 s, respectively. The data for decays π+→ е+ ν and \({\mu ^ + } \to {e^ + }v\bar v\gamma \) have been collected and are being processed. The follow-up PEN experiment aims at reducing the uncertainty on the π+ → е+ ν relative probability by almost an order of magnitude (to 5 × 10–4).

A prototype of a 2D detector based on specially designed straw tubes with cathode data readout has been developed and tested. This detector exhibits comparable accuracies in measuring radial and longitudinal coordinates. Its rate capability is similar to the capabilities of traditional detectors whose tubes are smaller by half in diameter.

With few open channels and uncomplicated theoretical description, charged pion decays are uniquely sensitive to certain standard model (SM) symmetries, the universality of weak fermion couplings, and to aspects of pion structure and chiral dynamics. We review the current knowledge of the pion electronic decay π^+ → e^+ ν_e(γ), or π_e2(γ), and the resulting limits on non-SM processes. Focusing on the PEN experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland, we examine the prospects for further improvement in the near term.

Allowed charged $\pi$ meson decays are characterized by simple dynamics, few available decay channels, mainly into leptons, and extremely well controlled radiative and loop corrections. In that sense, pion decays represent a veritable triumph of the standard model (SM) of elementary particles and interactions. This relative theoretical simplicity makes charged pion decays a sensitive means for testing the underlying symmetries and the universality of weak fermion couplings, as well as for studying pion structure and chiral dynamics. Even after considerable recent improvements, experimental precision is lagging far behind that of the theoretical description for pion decays. We review the current state of experimental study of the pion electronic decay $\pi^+ \to e^+\nu_e(\gamma)$, or $\pi_{e2(\gamma)}$, where the $(\gamma)$ indicates inclusion and explicit treatment of radiative decay events. We briefly review the limits on non-SM processes arising from the present level of experimental precision in $\pi_{e2(\gamma)}$ decays. Focusing on the PEN experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Switzerland, we examine the prospects for further improvement in the near term.

Precise measurement of straw axial coordinate (along the anode wire) with accuracy compatible with straw radial coordinate determination by drift time measurement and increase of straw detector rate capability by using straw cathode readout instead of anode readout are presented.

Detector rate capability is one of the main parameters for designing a new detector for high energy physics due to the permanent rise of the beam luminosity of modern accelerators. One of the widely used detectors for particle track reconstruction is a straw-detector based on drift tubes. The rate capability of such detectors is limited by the parameters of readout electronics. The traditional method of increasing detector rate capability consists in increasing their granularity (the number of “elementary” detectors = readout channels) by reducing the straw diameter and/or by dividing the straw anode wire into two parts (for decreasing the rate per readout channel). A new method of designing straw detectors with a high rate capability is presented and tested. The method is based on dividing the straw cathode into parts and the independent readout of each part.

Simple dynamics, few available decay channels, and highly controlled radiative and loop corrections, make pion and muon decays a sensitive means of exploring details of the underlying symmetries. We review the current status of the rare decays: π + → e + ν (π e2 ), π + → e + νγ (π e2γ ), π + → π 0 e + ν (π e3 ), and [Formula: see text]. For the latter we report new preliminary values for the branching ratio B(E γ > 10 MeV , θ eγ > 30°) = 4.365 (9) stat (42) syst × 10 -3 , and the decay parameter [Formula: see text], both in excellent agreement with standard model predictions. We review recent measurements, particularly by the PIBETA and PEN experiments, and near-term prospects for improvement. These and other similar precise low energy studies complement modern collider results materially.

We studied the radiative muon decay $\mu^+ \to e^+\nu\nu\gamma$ by using for the first time an almost fully polarized muon beam. We identified a large sample (~13000) of these decays in a total sample of 1.8x10^14 positive muon decays collected in the MEG experiment and measured the branching ratio B($\mu^+ \to e^+\nu\nu\gamma$) = (6.03+-0.14(stat.)+-0.53(sys.))x10^-8 for E_e > 45 MeV and E_{\gamma} > 40 MeV, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. Moreover, the precise measurement of this decay mode provides the basic tool for the timing calibration and a strong quality check of the complete MEG experiment in the search for $\mu^+ \to e^+\gamma$ process.

Building on the rare pion and muon decay results of the PIBETA experiment, the PEN collaboration has undertaken a precise measurement of B_{\pi e2} = R^\pi_{e/\mu}, the \pi^+ -> e^+\nu(\gamma) decay branching ratio, at the Paul Scherrer Institute, to reduce the present 40\times experimental precision lag behind theory to ~ 6-7\times. Because of large helicity suppression, R^\pi_{e/\mu} is uniquely sensitive to contributions from non-(V-A) physics, making this decay a particularly suitable subject of study. Even at current precision, the experimental value of B_{\pi e2} provides the most accurate test of lepton universality available. During runs in 2008-10, PEN has accumulated over 2\times 10^7 \pi_{e2} events; a comprehensive maximum-likelihood analysis is currently under way. The new data will also lead to improved precision of the earlier PIBETA results on radiative \pi and \mu decays.

We propose the continuation of the MEG experiment to search for the charged lepton flavour violating decay (cLFV) \mu \to e \gamma, based on an upgrade of the experiment, which aims for a sensitivity enhancement of one order of magnitude compared to the final MEG result, down to the $6 \times 10^{-14}$ level. The key features of this new MEG upgrade are an increased rate capability of all detectors to enable running at the intensity frontier and improved energy, angular and timing resolutions, for both the positron and photon arms of the detector. On the positron-side a new low-mass, single volume, high granularity tracker is envisaged, in combination with a new highly segmented, fast timing counter array, to track positron from a thinner stopping target. The photon-arm, with the largest liquid xenon (LXe) detector in the world, totalling 900 l, will also be improved by increasing the granularity at the incident face, by replacing the current photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) with a larger number of smaller photosensors and optimizing the photosensor layout also on the lateral faces. A new DAQ scheme involving the implementation of a new combined readout board capable of integrating the diverse functions of digitization, trigger capability and splitter functionality into one condensed unit, is also under development. We describe here the status of the MEG experiment, the scientific merits of the upgrade and the experimental methods we plan to use.

The analysis of a combined data set, totaling 3.6 X 10(14) stopped muons on target, in the search for the lepton flavor violating decay mu(+) -> e(+) gamma is presented. The data collected by the MEG experiment at the Paul Scherrer Institut show no excess of events compared to background expectations and yield a new upper limit on the branching ratio of this decay of 5.7 X 10(-13) (90% confidence level). This represents a four times more stringent limit than the previous world best limit set by MEG.

The coordinate detectors based on straw tubes provide a high accuracy of the radial coordinate measurement using the drift time and a small amount of matter in the way of the measured particles. However, the measurement of the coordinate along the wire constitutes a problem. This paper proposes a method for measuring the hit coordinate along the wire with an accuracy better than 1 mm in a straw tube detector using the signals from the cathodes of the detector.

The PEN collaboration carries out a precision measurement of the π+ → e +ν decay branching ratio at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Switzerland). A special mini time-projection chamber (mTPC) has been developed for registration of particles in the pion beam. The chamber contains 14 × 10−3 g/cm2 of matter on the particle path. The chamber was successfully used during one-year-long run. Design and characteristics of the mTPC are described.

A detector with a profile-based cathode and a two-coordinate cathode readout system has been experimentally investigated. Cathode pads located in each profile along the anode wire are diagonally interconnected, thus forming strips that cross the detector at some angle with respect to the anode wire. Owing to the availability of the two cathode coordinates and the coordinate associated with the anode wire, it is possible to solve the problem of identifying high-multiplicity events in a single detector.

We have measured the pi+-->e+ nugamma branching ratio over a wide region of phase space, based on a total of 65 460 events acquired using the PIBETA detector. Minimum-chi2 fits to the measured (E(e+), E(gamma) energy distributions result in the weak form factor value of F(A)=0.0119(1) with a fixed value of F(V)=0.0259. An unconstrained fit yields F(V)=0.0258(17) and F(A)=0.0117(17). In addition, we have measured a=0.10(6) for the dependence of F(V) on q2, the e+ nu pair invariant mass squared, parametrized as F(V)(q2)=F(V)(0)(1+aq(2)). The branching ratio for the kinematic region E(gamma)>10 MeV and theta(e(+)gamma)>40 degrees is measured to be B(expt)=73.86(54)x10(-8). Earlier deviations we reported in the high-E(gamma)-low-E(e+) kinematic region are resolved without a tensor term. We also derive new values for the pion polarizability alpha(E)=2.78(10)x10(-4) fm3 and neutral pion lifetime tau(pi0)=(8.5+/-1.1)x10(-17) s.

The PEN Collaboration is conducting a new measurement of the π+ → e + vL branching ratio at the Paul Scherrer Institute, with the goal uncertainty of δB/B πe2 = 5 × 10−4 or lower. At present, the combined accuracy of all published πe2 decay measurements lags behind the theoretical calculation by a factor of 40. In this contribution we report on the PEN detector configuration and its performance during two development runs done in 2007 and 2008.

A new measurement of Be 2, the + ! e + ( ) decay branching ratio, is currently under way at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The present experimental result on Be 2 constitutes the most accurate test of lepton universality available. The accuracy, however, still lags behind the theoretical precision by over an order of magnitude. Thanks to the large helicity suppression of e2 decay, the branching ratio is susceptible to significant contributions from new physics, making this decay a particularly suitable subject of study.