Selected Theoretical Issues in B-meson Physics: CKM matrix and Semileptonic Decays

Abstract

These notes are a written version of a lecture given at the International Seminar {\it Modern Trends and Classical Approach} devoted to the 80${}^{th}$ anniversary of Prof. Karen Ter-Martirosyan, ITEP September 30 -- October 1, 2002. The notes represent a non-technical review of our present knowledge on the phenomenology of weak decays of quarks, and their rôle in the determination of the parameters of the Standard Model. They are meant as an introduction to some of the latest results and applications in the field. Specifically, we focus on CP violation in B-decays and the determination of the CKM matrix element $V_{cb}$ from semileptonic decays of $B$ mesons. We also briefly discuss phenomenological applications concerning the electron-energy spectra in semileptonic $B$ and $B_c$ decays.

44 pages, 13 figures, LATeX2e, Axodraw package used; Submitted to "Survey in High Energy Physics"

References in corpus (13)

• Branching Fraction and Photon Energy Spectrum b -> s gamma
• A New Approach to a Global Fit of the CKM Matrix
• Measurements of Branching Fractions and CP-violating Asymmetries in B0->pi+ pi-, K+ pi-, K+ K- Decays
• Improved Measurement of |V_ub| with Inclusive Semileptonic B Decays
• A Vademecum on Quark-Hadron Duality
• Observation of Mixing-induced CP Violation in the Neutral B Meson System
• Evidence for CP-Violating Asymmetries in B0->pi+pi- Decays and Constraints on the CKM Angle phi2
• Measurement of V_{cb} from the decay process \bar{B^0} -> D^{*+} \ell^- \barν
• Determination of |Vcb| using the semileptonic decay \bar{B}^0 --> D^{*+}e^-\barν
• Improved Measurement of |Vcb| using B --> D* l nu Decays
• Measurement of the Branching Fraction for Inclusive Semileptonic B Meson Decays
• CP Violation - A New Era
• Measurement of the CP-Violating Asymmetry Amplitude sin2beta with the BaBar Detector