Citation
R. Barate et al., 3-PRONG TAU-DECAYS WITH CHARGED KAONS, EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL C-PARTICLES AND FIELDS, 1(1-2), 1998, pp. 65-79
Abstract
Final states with charged kaons in three-prong tau decays are studied
by exploiting the particle identification from the dE/dx measurement.
The results are based on a sample of about 1.6 x 10(5) detected tau pa
irs collected with the ALEPH detector between 1991 and 1995 around the
Z peak. The following branching ratios have been measured: B(tau(-) -
-> K(-)K(+)pi(-)nu(tau)) = (1.63 +/- 0.21 +/- 0.17) x 10(-3), B(tau(-)
--> K(-)pi(+)pi(-)nu(tau)) = (2.14 +/- 0.37 +/- 0.29) x 10(-3), B(tau
(-) --> K(-)K(+)pi(-)pi(0) nu(tau)) = (0.75 +/- 0.29 +/- 0.15) x 10(-3
), and B(tau(-) --> K(-)pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) nu(tau)) = (0.61 +/- 0.39 +/-
0.18) x 10(-3). The first two measurements are more precise than the c
urrent world averages, while the last two channels are investigated fo
r the first time. The 95% C.L. upper limit on the branching ratio for
the decay tau(-) --> K(-)K(+)K(-)nu(tau) is 0.19 x 10(-3). A study of
intermediate states occurring in the K(-)K(+)pi(-)nu(tau), and K(-)pi(
+)pi(-)nu(tau), decays is also presented.