Using data samples of 983.0 fb−1 and 427.9 fb−1 accumulated with the Belle and Belle II detectors operating at the KEKB and SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e+e− colliders, singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays Ξ_c^+→ pK_S^0 , Ξ_c^+→Λπ^+ , and Ξ_c^+→Σ^0π^+ are observed for the first time. The ratios of branching fractions of Ξ_c^+→ pK_S^0 , Ξ_c^+→Λπ^+ , and Ξ_c^+→Σ^0π^+ relative to that of Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+ are measured to be [ ℬ(Ξ_c^+→ pK_S^0)/ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+)=(2.47± 0.16± 0.07)%,; ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Λπ^+)/ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+)=(1.56± 0.14± 0.09)%,; ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Σ^0π^+)/ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+)=(4.13± 0.26± 0.22)%. ] Multiplying these values by the branching fraction of the normalization channel, ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+)=(2.9± 1.3)% , the absolute branching fractions are determined to be [ ℬ(Ξ_c^+→ pK_S^0)=(7.16± 0.46± 0.20± 3.21)×10^-4,; ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Λπ^+)=(4.52± 0.41± 0.26± 2.03)×10^-4,; ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Σ^0π^+)=(1.20± 0.08± 0.07± 0.54)×10^-3. ] The first and second uncertainties above are statistical and systematic, respectively, while the third ones arise from the uncertainty in ℬ(Ξ_c^+→Ξ^-π^+π^+) .

Using the data samples of 102 million $\Upsilon(1S)$ and 158 million $\Upsilon(2S)$ events collected by the Belle detector, we search for a pentaquark state in the $pJ/\psi$ final state from $\Upsilon(1,2S)$ inclusive decays. Here, the charge-conjugate $\bar{p}J/\psi$ is included. We observe clear $pJ/\psi$ production in $\Upsilon(1,2S)$ decays and measure the branching fractions to be $\mathcal{B}[\Upsilon(1S) \to pJ/\psi + anything] = [4.27 \pm 0.16(stat.) \pm 0.20(syst.)] \times 10^{-5}$ and $\mathcal{B}[\Upsilon(2S) \to pJ/\psi + anything] = [3.59 \pm 0.14(stat.) \pm 0.16(syst.)] \times 10^{-5}$. We also measure the cross section of inclusive $pJ/\psi$ production in $e^+e^-$ annihilation to be $\sigma(e^+e^- \to pJ/\psi + anything) = [57.5 \pm 2.1 (stat.) \pm 2.5(syst.)]$~fb at $\sqrt{s} = 10.52~\hbox{GeV}$ using an 89.5~fb$^{-1}$ continuum data sample. There is no significant $P_c(4312)^+$, $P_c(4440)^+$ or $P_c(4457)^+$ signal found in the $pJ/\psi$ final states in $\Upsilon(1,2S)$ inclusive decays. We determine the upper limits of $\mathcal{B}[\Upsilon(1,2S)\to P_c^{+} + anything] \cdot \mathcal{B}(P_c^{+}\to pJ/\psi)$ to be at the $10^{-6}$ level.

We measure the time-integrated CP asymmetry in D-0 -> (KSKS0)-K-0 decays reconstructed in e(+)e(-) -> c (c) over bar events collected by the Belle and Belle II experiments. The corresponding data samples have integrated luminosities of 980 and 428 fb(-1), respectively. The D-0 decays are required to originate from the D*(+) -> D-0 pi(+) decay, which determines the charm flavor at production time. A control sample of D-0 -> K+K- decays is used to correct for production and detection asymmetries. The result, (-1.4 +/- 1.3(stat) +/- 0.1(syst))%, is consistent with previous determinations and with CP symmetry.

We present measurements of B → K*(892)γ decays using 365 fb−1 of data collected from 2019 to 2022 by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e+e− collider. The data sample contains (387 ± 6) × 106 Υ(4S) events. We measure branching fractions ( ℬ ) and CP asymmetries ( 𝒜_CP ) for both B0 → K*0γ and B+ → K*+γ decays. The difference in CP asymmetries ( Δ𝒜_CP ) and the isospin asymmetry (∆0+) between these neutral and charged channels are also measured. We obtain the following branching fractions and CP asymmetries: ℬ(B^0→K^*0γ)=(4.14± 0.10± 0.11)×10^-5 , ℬ(B^+→K^*+γ)=(4.04±0.13_-0.15^+0.13)×10^-5 , 𝒜_CP(B^0→K^*0γ)=(-3.3± 2.3± 0.4)% , and Δ𝒜_CP(B^+→K^*+γ)=(-0.7± 2.9± 0.5)% . The measured difference in CP asymmetries is Δ𝒜_CP=(+2.6±3.8± 0.6)% , and the measured isospin asymmetry is ∆0+ = (+4.8 ± 2.0 ± 1.8)

We perform the first search for CP violation in D_(s)^+→K_S^0K^-π^+π^+ decays. We use a combined data set from the Belle and Belle II experiments, which study e+e− collisions at center-of-mass energies at or near the Υ(4S) resonance. We use 980 fb−1 of data from Belle and 428 fb−1 of data from Belle II. We measure six CP-violating asymmetries that are based on triple products and quadruple products of the momenta of final-state particles, and also the particles’ helicity angles. We obtain a precision at the level of 0.5 D^+→K_S^0K^-π^+π^+ decays, and better than 0.3 D_s^+→K_S^0K^-π^+π^+ decays. No evidence of CP violation is found. Our results for the triple-product asymmetries are the most precise to date for singly-Cabibbo-suppressed D+ decays. Our results for the other asymmetries are the first such measurements performed for charm decays.

We present measurements of B+ -> rho(+) gamma and B-0 -> rho(0) gamma. decays using a combined data sample of 772 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs collected by the Belle experiment and 387 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs collected by the Belle II experiment in e(+) e(-) collisions at the Upsilon(4S) resonance. After an optimized selection, a simultaneous fit to the Belle and Belle II datasets yields 114 +/- 12 B+ -> rho(+) gamma. and 99 +/- 12 B-0 -> rho(0) gamma decays. The measured branching fractions are (13.1(-1.9-1.2)(+2.0+1.3)) x 10(-7) and (7.6 +/- 1.3(-0.8)(+1.0)) x 10(-7) for B+ -> rho(+) gamma. and B-0 -> rho(0) gamma. decays, respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. We also measure the isospin asymmetry A(I)(B -> rho gamma) = (10.9(-11.7-7.3)(+11.2+7.8))% and the direct CP asymmetry A(CP)(B+ -> rho(+) gamma) = (-8.2 +/- 15.2(-1.3)(+2.0))%.

The integration of readout electronics and sensors into a single entity of silicon in monolithic pixel detectors lowers the material budget while simplifying the production procedure compared to the conventional hybrid pixel detector concept. The increasing availability of high-resistivity substrates and high-voltage capabilities in commercial CMOS processes facilitates the application of depleted monolithic active pixel sensors (DMAPS) in modern particle physics experiments. TJ-Monopix2 and LF-Monopix2 chips are the most recent large-scale prototype DMAPS in their respective development line originally designed for the ATLAS Inner Tracker outer layer environment. In this contribution, the latest laboratory characterizations and beam test results of both DMAPS are presented with a special emphasis on performance after irradiation to high fluences.

Most of the tracking detectors for high energy particle experiments are filled with silicon detectors since they are radiation hard, they can give very small spatial resolution and they can take advantage of the silicon electronics foundries' developments and production lines. Strip detectors are very useful to cover large areas for tracking purposes, while consuming less power per area compared to pixel sensors. The majority of particle physics experiments use conventional silicon strip detectors fabricated in foundries that do not use stitching, relying on a very small number of foundries worldwide that can provide large amounts of strip detectors. Fabricating strip detectors in a CMOS foundry opens the possibility to use more foundries and to include active elements in the strips for future productions. For the passive CMOS strip detectors project we fabricated strip detectors in a CMOS foundry using two 1 cm2 reticles that are stitched together along the wafer. The fabricated strips stitched the reticles three and five times, and it was shown that the performance of those strips is not affected by the stitching. This paper shows 3D TCAD simulations of the stitching area to investigate the possible effects stitching can have on the performance of the strip detectors, considering different stitching mismatches. We will show that the mismatch of stitched structures up to 1 mu m does not impact the performance with TCAD simulations which agrees with the results obtained from the measurements.

We present a measurement of the ratio of partial branching fractions of the semileptonic inclusive decays, B-* Xul nu to B-* Xcl nu, where l 1/4 (e; mu), using the full Belle sample of 772 x 106 BB pairs collected at the Y(4S) resonance. The identification of inclusive B-* Xul nu decays is difficult due to the abundance of Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa-favored B-* Xcl nu events, which share a similar event topology. To minimize dependence on the modeling of these channels, a data-driven description of B-* Xcl nu is employed. The ratio is measured via a two-dimensional fit to the squared four-momentum transfer to the lepton pair, and the charged lepton energy in the B meson rest frame, where the latter must be larger than 1 GeV, covering approximately 86% and 78% of the B-* Xul nu and B-* Xcl nu phase space, respectively. We find oB(B-* Xul nu)/oB(B-* Xcl nu) 1/4 (1.99 +/- 0.17stat +/- 0.16syst) x 10-2, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. We extract jVubj/jVcbj using two theoretical calculations for the partial decay rate of B-* Xul nu, finding (jVubj/jVcbj)BLNP 1/4 (9.81 +/- 0.42stat +/- 0.38syst +/- 0.51or(B-*Xul nu) +/- 0.20or(B-*Xcl nu)) x 10-2 and (jVubj/jVcbj)GGOU 1/4 (10.06 +/- 0.43stat +/- 0.39syst +/- 0.23or(B-*Xul nu) +/- 0.20or(B-*Xcl nu)) x 10-2, where the third and fourth uncertainties are from the partial decay rates of B-* Xul nu and B-* Xcl nu, respectively. In addition, we report the partial branching fractions separately for charged and neutral B meson decays, and for electron and muon decay channels. We place a limit on isospin breaking in B-* Xul nu decays, and find no indication of lepton flavor universality violation in either the charmed or charmless mode. Furthermore, we unfold the B-* Xul nu and B-* Xcl nu yields and report the differential ratio in lepton energy and four-momentum transfer squared.

Abstract We report measurements of the absolute branching fractions $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)$$ , $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)$$ , and $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{\pm }X\right)$$ , where the latter is measured for the first time. The results are based on a 121.4 fb −1 data sample collected at the Υ(10860) resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e + e − collider. We reconstruct one $${B}_{s}^{0}$$ meson in $${e}^{+}{e}^{-}\to \Upsilon\left(10860\right)\to {B}_{s}^{*}{\overline{B} }_{s}^{*}$$ events and measure yields of $${D}_{s}^{+}$$ , D 0, and D + mesons in the rest of the event. We obtain $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(68.6\pm 7.2\pm 4.0\right)\%$$ , $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)=\left(21.5\pm 6.1\pm 1.8\right)\%$$ , and $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(12.6\pm 4.6\pm 1.3\right)\%$$ , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. Averaging with previous Belle measurements gives $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(63.4\pm 4.5\pm 2.2\right)\%$$ and $$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)=\left(23.9\pm 4.1\pm 1.8\right)\%$$ . For the $${B}_{s}^{0}$$ production fraction at the Υ(10860), we find $${f}_{s}=\left({21.4}_{-1.7}^{+1.5}\right)\%$$ .

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB e+e− collider is preparing for an upgrade of its vertex detector to cope with an increased luminosity of up to 6 × 1035 cm−2s−1. The new vertex detector (VTX) will consist of six layers of depleted monolithic active pixel sensors (DMAPS), with a total material budget of about 3% of X0. The OBELIX chip, developed for this upgrade, is derived from the TJ-Monopix2 sensor and manufactured using the Tower Semiconductor 180 nm CMOS technology. It features a 33 µm pixel pitch, time-stamping capability with 50 ns resolution, and a dedicated digital periphery compatible with the Belle II trigger system, supporting rates up to 30 kHz. The sensor is designed to operate under the expected background hit rate at the target luminosity, with high radiation tolerance, up to 5 × 1014 neq/cm2 and 1 MGy, while maintaining a power density in the range of 200-300 mW/cm2, corresponding to hit rates from a few MHz/cm2 up to 120 MHz/cm2. This paper presents results from laboratory measurements and beam tests performed on TJ-Monopix2 chips, including both not-irradiated and irradiated devices. Particular focus is given to the performance of irradiated sensors as a function of temperature, a key aspect for defining the maximum allowable operating temperature for OBELIX. These studies provide essential input for the thermal design of the VTX cooling system, especially for the innermost layers where power density and hit rates are highest.

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent charge-parity (CP) decay-rate asymmetries in B0→J/ψπ0 decays. The data sample was collected with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB asymmetric e+e− collider in 2019–2022 and contains (387±6)×106 BB¯ meson pairs from ϒ(4S) decays. We reconstruct 392±24 signal decays and fit the CP parameters from the distribution of the proper-decay-time difference of the two B mesons. We measure the branching fraction to be (B0→J/ψπ0)=(2.00±0.12±0.09)×10−5 and the direct and mixing-induced CP asymmetries to be CCP=0.13±0.12±0.03 and SCP=−0.88±0.17±0.03, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We observe mixing-induced CP violation with a significance of 5.0 standard deviations for the first time in this mode. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

A series of data samples was collected with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider from March 2019 to June 2022. We determine the integrated luminosities of these data samples using three distinct methodologies involving Bhabha (e(+) e(-) -> e(+) e(-)(n gamma)), digamma (e(+) e(-) -> gamma gamma(n gamma)), and dimuon (e(+) e(-) -> mu(+) mu(-)(n gamma)) events. The total integrated luminosity obtained with Bhabha, digamma, and dimuon events is (426.88 +/- 0.03 +/- 2.61) fb(-1), (429.28 +/- 0.03 +/- 2.62) fb(-1), and (423.99 +/- 0.04 +/- 3.83) fb(-1), where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The resulting total integrated luminosity obtained from the combination of the three methods is (427.87 +/- 2.01) fb(-1).

We report measurements of time-dependent CP asymmetries in B^{0}→K_{S}^{0}π^{0}γ decays based on a data sample of (388±6)×10^{6}  BB[over ¯] events collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle II detector. The Belle II experiment operates at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e^{+}e^{-} collider. We measure decay-time distributions to determine CP -violating parameters S and C. We determine these parameters for two ranges of K_{S}^{0}π^{0} invariant mass: m(K_{S}^{0}π^{0})∈(0.8,1.0)  GeV/c^{2}, which is dominated by B^{0}→K^{*0}(→K_{S}^{0}π^{0})γ decays, and a complementary region m(K_{S}^{0}π^{0})∈(0.6,0.8)∪(1.0,1.8)  GeV/c^{2}. Our results have improved precision as compared to previous measurements and are consistent with theory predictions.

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB $e^{+}e^{-}$ collider took data from 2019 to 2022 (Run 1) and is currently undergoing its planned first long shutdown (LS1). During its operational period, SuperKEKB achieved a record-breaking instantaneous luminosity of 4.7 x 10$^{34}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ [1] and Belle II recorded a dataset corresponding to 428 fb$^{-1}$. The Belle II Pixel Vertex Detector (PXD), which is the innermost sub-detector, is based on the DEpleted P-channel Field Effect Transistor (DEPFET) technology [2]. Along with the Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) [3], utilizing double-sided silicon strips, this forms the Belle II Vertex Detector system (VXD), enabling precise reconstruction of primary and decay vertices. The PXD module features a 75 $\mu$m-thin DEPFET sensor area with varying pixel sizes from 50 x 55 $\mu$m to 50 x 85 $\mu$m while maintaining a hit efficiency of about 99 %. Its average material budget inside the physics acceptance corresponds to 0.2 % X$_{0}$ per layer. PXD consist of 20 ladders arranged in two cylindrical layers around the beam axis. The Run 1 PXD was installed in a reduced configuration comprising the full inner layer (L1, eight ladders) and only two out of twelve outer layer (L2) ladders. In this article, we will illuminate the performance and operational challenges observed during its 4-year operation in a harsh environment characterized by a high beam background level. A fully populated detector can compensate acceptance losses by redundancy and reduce the probability of wrong hit assignment introduced by higher background levels resulting from increased instantaneous luminosity. During LS1 PXD was replaced by a new, fully populated PXD2. Its commissioning and testing phase during LS1 will be described. A hit efficiency of $>$98 % was measured in most regions using cosmic particles. The current installation schedule foresees beam operation to resume in winter 23/24.

Monolithic pixel detectors combine readout electronics and sensor in a single entity of silicon, which simplifies the production procedure and lowers the material budget compared to conventional hybrid pixel detector concepts. Benefiting from the advances in commercial CMOS processes towards large biasing voltage capabilities and the increasing availability of high-resistivity substrates, depleted monolithic active pixel sensors (DMAPS) can cope with the high-rate and high-radiation environments faced in modern high-energy physics experiments. TJ-Monopix2 is the latest iteration of a DMAPS development line designed in 180nm TowerSemicondutor technology, which features a large scale (2 × 2)cm2 chip divided into (512 × 512)pixels with a pitch of (33 × 33)µm2. All in-pixel electronics are separated from its small collection electrode and process modifications are implemented to improve charge collection efficiency especially after irradiation. The latest laboratory measurements and investigations of a periodic variation in the threshold response relative to the hit arrival time observed for TJ-Monopix2 in typical operating conditions are presented.

Silicon pixel sensors manufactured using commercial CMOS processes are promising instruments for high-energy particle physics experiments due to their high yield and proven radiation hardness. As one of the essential factors for the operation of detectors, the breakdown performance of pixel sensors constitutes the upper limit of the operating voltage. Six types of passive CMOS test structures were fabricated on high-resistivity wafers. Each of them features a combination of different inter-pixel designs and sets of floating guard rings, which differ from each other in the geometrical layout, implantation type, and overhang structure. A comparative study based on leakage current measurements in the sensor substrate of unirradiated samples was carried out to identify correlations between guard ring designs and breakdown voltages. TCAD simulations using the design parameters of the test structures were performed to discuss the observations and, together with the measurements, ultimately provide design features targeting higher breakdown voltages.

We report on a search for a resonance X decaying to a pair of muons in e+e−→μ+μ−X events in the 0.212–9.000 GeV/c2 mass range, using 178 fb−1 of data collected by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider at a center of mass energy of 10.58 GeV. The analysis probes two different models of X beyond the standard model: a Z′ vector boson in the Lμ−Lτ model and a muonphilic scalar. We observe no evidence for a signal and set exclusion limits at the 90% confidence level on the products of cross section and branching fraction for these processes, ranging from 0.046 fb to 0.97 fb for the Lμ−Lτ model and from 0.055 fb to 1.3 fb for the muonphilic scalar model. For masses below 6 GeV/c2, the corresponding constraints on the couplings of these processes to the standard model range from 0.0008 to 0.039 for the Lμ−Lτ model and from 0.0018 to 0.040 for the muonphilic scalar model. These are the first constraints on the muonphilic scalar from a dedicated search. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

We search for the rare decay B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar in a 362 fb(-1) sample of electron-positron collisions at the Upsilon(4S) resonance collected with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider. We use the inclusive properties of the accompanying B meson in Upsilon(4S) -> B (B) over bar events to suppress background from other decays of the signal B candidate and light-quark pair production. We validate the measurement with an auxiliary analysis based on a conventional hadronic reconstruction of the accompanying B meson. For background suppression, we exploit distinct signal features using machine learning methods tuned with simulated data. The signal-reconstruction efficiency and background suppression are validated through various control channels. The branching fraction is extracted in a maximum likelihood fit. Our inclusive and hadronic analyses yield consistent results for the B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar branching fraction of [2.7 +/- 0.5(stat) +/- 0.5(syst)] x 10(-5) and [1.1(-0.8)(+0.9)(stat)(-0.5)(+0.8)(syst)] x 10(-5), respectively. Combining the results, we determine the branching fraction of the decay B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar to be [2.3 +/- 0.5_stat)(-0.4)(+0.5)(syst)] x 10(-5), providing the first evidence for this decay at 3.5 standard deviations. The combined result is 2.7 standard deviations above the standard model expectation.

We present measurements of the branching fractions of eight B^0→ D^(*)+ K^- K^(*)0_(S), B^-→ D^(*)0 K^- K^(*)0_(S) decay channels. The results are based on data from SuperKEKB electron-positron collisions at the Υ(4S) resonance collected with the Belle II detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 362 fb^-1. The event yields are extracted from fits to the distributions of the difference between expected and observed B meson energy, and are efficiency-corrected as a function of m(K^-K^(*)0_(S)) and m(D^(*)K^(*)0_(S)) in order to avoid dependence on the decay model. These results include the first observation of B^0→ D^+K^-K_S^0, B^-→ D^*0K^-K_S^0, and B^0→ D^*+K^-K_S^0 decays and a significant improvement in the precision of the other channels compared to previous measurements. The helicity-angle distributions and the invariant mass distributions of the K^- K^(*)0_(S) systems are compatible with quasi-two-body decays via a resonant transition with spin-parity J^P=1^- for the K^-K_S^0 systems and J^P= 1^+ for the K^-K^*0 systems. We also present measurements of the branching fractions of four B^0→ D^(*)+ D_s^-, B^-→ D^(*)0 D_s^- decay channels with a precision compatible to the current world averages.