Search for baryon-number-violating $\Xi_b^0$ oscillations

TL;DR

This study searches for baryon-number-violating oscillations of the $ ext{Xi}_b^0$ baryon using LHCb data, setting an upper limit on the oscillation rate due to no observed violation.

Contribution

First search for baryon-number-violating $ ext{Xi}_b^0$ oscillations using LHCb collision data, establishing an upper limit on the oscillation frequency.

Findings

No evidence of baryon number violation was observed.

An upper limit of 0.08 ps$^{-1}$ was set on the oscillation rate.

The analysis constrains theories predicting baryon-number violation.

Abstract

A search for baryon-number-violating $\Xi_b^0$ oscillations is performed with a sample of $pp$ collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$. The baryon number at the moment of production is identified by requiring that the $\Xi_b^0$ come from the decay of a resonance $\Xi_b^{*-} \to \Xi_b^0 \pi^-$ or $\Xi_b^{\prime-} \to \Xi_b^0 \pi^-$, and the baryon number at the moment of decay is identified from the final state using the decays $\Xi_b^0 \to \Xi_c^+ \pi^-, ~ \Xi_c^+ \to p K^- \pi^+$. No evidence of baryon number violation is found, and an upper limit at the 95% confidence level is set on the oscillation rate of $\omega < 0.08$ ps$^{-1}$, where $\omega$ is the associated angular frequency.