This article presents a model-independent search for an additional, mostly sterile, heavy neutral lepton (HNL), that is capable of mixing with the Standard Model tau neutrino with a mixing strength of jU tau 4j2, corresponding to the absolute square of the extended Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata matrix element. Data from the BABAR experiment, with a total integrated luminosity of 424 fb-1, are analyzed using a kinematic approach that makes no assumptions on the model behind the origins of the HNL, its lifetime or decay modes. No significant signal is found. Upper limits on jU tau 4j2 at the 95% confidence level, depend on the HNL mass hypothesis and vary from 2.31 x 10-2 to 5.04 x 10-6 (with all uncertainties considered), across the mass range 100 < m4 < 1300 MeV/c2; the more stringent limits being placed at higher masses.
Search for heavy neutral leptons using tau lepton decays at BaBaR
Batignani, G.;Bettarini, S.;Casarosa, G.;Forti, F.;Giorgi, M. A.;Paoloni, E.;Rizzo, G.;
2023-01-01
Abstract
This article presents a model-independent search for an additional, mostly sterile, heavy neutral lepton (HNL), that is capable of mixing with the Standard Model tau neutrino with a mixing strength of jU tau 4j2, corresponding to the absolute square of the extended Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata matrix element. Data from the BABAR experiment, with a total integrated luminosity of 424 fb-1, are analyzed using a kinematic approach that makes no assumptions on the model behind the origins of the HNL, its lifetime or decay modes. No significant signal is found. Upper limits on jU tau 4j2 at the 95% confidence level, depend on the HNL mass hypothesis and vary from 2.31 x 10-2 to 5.04 x 10-6 (with all uncertainties considered), across the mass range 100 < m4 < 1300 MeV/c2; the more stringent limits being placed at higher masses.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
