Search for lepton flavor violation at LHCb – ReViSaL

Data analysis and statistic tools, including machine learning techniques for background rejection.

Publication of the results of the searches of B+ -> K+ e+ mu- and B0 -> K *0 tau+ mu- with LHCb data. (foreseen)

To be added

To be added when available.

ReViSaL (Recherche de Violation de la Saveur Leptonique à LHCb) is a project inspired by the recent results of the LHCb experiment in the analyses of rare decays of the B meson proceeding via loop diagrams. Some deviations from the theory predictions have been observed, and in particular some measurements are questioning the paradigm of the universality of the interactions with respect to the flavor of the charged leptons.
Theorists are currently interpreting these results in a global coherent picture, where they could be seen as the manifestation of new physics, acting differently on electrons, muons and tau leptons. In this scenario, charged lepton flavor violating B decays could occur at a rate larger than what is predicted in the Standard Model of particle physics, where they are extremely suppressed.
ReViSaL wants to further shed a light on this puzzle searching directly for charged lepton flavor violating B decays within the LHCb experiment. The project is challenging, since it looks for very rare decays eventually occurring among a large rate of background events. In addition, the final states involve electrons and tau leptons, which are difficult to reconstruct in LHCb. Nevertheless, the ReViSaL project proposes the investigation of effective strategies to overcome these issues. To reach the goal of this project, the funding of one two-year postdoc is requested. The duration of the project is three years.