Study of the tau^- -> K^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau decay

TL;DR

This paper reports a detailed measurement of the tau^- -> K^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau decay branching ratio using Belle detector data, providing precise results and comparisons with other tau decay modes.

Contribution

It provides the first precise measurement of the tau^- -> K^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau decay branching ratio and compares it with other three-prong tau decay modes.

Findings

Branching ratio for tau^- -> K^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau is (3.25 +- 0.02(stat.) +0.16 -0.15(sys.)) x 10^-3.

Precise measurements of tau^- -> pi^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau, tau^- -> K^- K^+ pi^- nu_tau, and tau^- -> K^- K^+ K^- nu_tau branching ratios.

Data collected with Belle detector at KEKB collider at 10.58 GeV.

Abstract

We present a study of tau^- -> K^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau decay using ~669 /fb data, collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+ e- collider. The data is recorded at a center-of-mass energy 10.58 GeV. The result for the branching ratio is : B = (3.25 +- 0.02(stat.) +0.16 -0.15(sys.))x10^-3 >. We also present results of the precise measurement of the branching ratio of other 3-prong decay modes, tau^- -> pi^- pi^+ pi^- nu_tau, tau^- -> K^- K^+ pi^- nu_tau, and tau^- -> K^- K^+ K^- nu_tau .