The $e^+e^-\to K^+K^-$ cross section and charged-kaon electromagnetic form factor are measured in the $e^+e^-$ center-of-mass energy range ($E$) from 2.6 to 8.0 GeV using the initial-state radiation technique with an undetected photon. The study is performed using 469 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II $e^+e^-$ collider at center-of-mass energies near 10.6 GeV. The form factor is found to decrease with energy faster than $1/E^2$, and approaches the asymptotic QCD prediction. Production of the $K^+K^-$ final state through the $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ intermediate states is observed. The results for the kaon form factor are used together with data from other experiments to perform a model-independent determination of the relative phases between single-photon and strong amplitudes in $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)\to K^+K^-$ decays. The values of the branching fractions measured in the reaction $e^+e^- \to K^+K^-$ are shifted relative to their true values due to interference between resonant and nonresonant amplitudes. The values of these shifts are determined to be about $\pm5\%$ for the $J/\psi$ meson and $\pm15\%$ for the $\psi(2S)$ meson.
We present measurements of the total production rates and momentum distributions of the charmed baryon $\Lambda_c^+$ in $e^+e^- \to$ hadrons at a center-of-mass energy of 10.54 GeV and in $\Upsilon(4S)$ decays. In hadronic events at 10.54 GeV, charmed hadrons are almost exclusively leading particles in $e^+e^- \to c\bar{c}$ events, allowing direct studies of $c$-quark fragmentation. We measure a momentum distribution for $\Lambda_c^+$ baryons that differs significantly from those measured previously for charmed mesons. Comparing with a number of models, we find none that can describe the distribution completely. We measure an average scaled momentum of $\left< x_p \right> = 0.574\pm$0.009 and a total rate of $N_{\Lambda c}^{q\bar{q}} = 0.057\pm$0.002(exp.)$\pm$0.015(BF) $\Lambda_c^+$ per hadronic event, where the experimental error is much smaller than that due to the branching fraction into the reconstructed decay mode, $pK^-\pi^+$. In $\Upsilon (4S)$ decays we measure a total rate of $N_{\Lambda c}^{\Upsilon} = 0.091\pm$0.006(exp.)$\pm$0.024(BF) per $\Upsilon(4S)$ decay, and find a much softer momentum distribution than expected from B decays into a $\Lambda_c^+$ plus an antinucleon and one to three pions.
We present a measurement of the cross section of the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+pi^-\psi(2S)$ from threshold up to 8 GeV center-of-mass energy using events containing initial-state radiation, produced at the PEP-II $e^+e^-$ storage rings. The study is based on 298 fb$^{-1}$ of data recorded with the BaBar detector. A structure is observed in the cross-section not far above threshold, near 4.32 GeV. We also investigate the compatibility of this structure with the Y(4260) previously reported by this experiment.
Results on inclusive K s 0 production in e + e − annihilation at mean center-of-mass energies of 9.4, 12.0 and 30 GeV are presented. The ratio R (K 0 ) = 2 σ (K s 0 )/ σ μμ rises from 3.10 ± 0.75 at √ s = 9.4 GeV to 5.6 ± 1.2 at √ s = 30 GeV, corresponding to an approximately constant K 0 /charged-particle ratio of 0.12 ± 0.02. A similar ratio for K 0 / charged particle is observed for direct hadronic decays of the ϒ.
Measurements of energy-energy correlations in hadronic final states produced in e + e − annihilation at c.m. energies between 7.7 and 31.6 GeV are presented. The data are compared to perturbative QCD predictions. Good qualitative agreement above 20 GeV c.m. energy is found. The importance of non-perturbative effects is discussed, as well as the detailed behaviour of the correlation near 180°.
Using the solenoidal magnetic detector PLUTO, we have measured the total cross section for e + e − annihilation into hadrons. Results are presented for center of mass energies between 3.6 and 4.8 GeV, and in the regions of the J ψ (3.1) and ψ(3.7) resonances. We also present results for the 2 prong cross section in the energy range 3.6 to 4.8 GeV.
We have measured the production cross section for K s 0 in e + e − annihilation from 3.6 to 5.0 GeV center of mass energy. A substantial increase of the K s 0 yield is observed around 4 GeV in qualitative agreement with the charm hypothesis.
Measurements of multihadron production in e+e− annihilation at center-of-mass energies between 2.6 and 7.8 GeV are presented. Aside from the narrow resonances ψ(3095) and ψ(3684), the total hadronic cross section is found to be approximately 2.7 times the cross section for the production of muon pairs at c.m. energies below 3.7 GeV and 4.3 times the muon-pair cross section at c.m. energies above 5.5 GeV. Complicated structure is found at intermediate energies. Charged-particle multiplicities and inclusive momentum distributions are presented.
The branching fraction for the decay of the ϒ(1S) into τ paris has been measured to be (3.4±0.4±0.4)%. This result agrees with the previously measured branching ratio of the decay into muon pairs.
We report a measurement of the exclusive \$e^+e^- \to \Lambda_c^+ \Lambda_c^-$ cross section as a function of center-of-mass energy near the $\Lambda_c^+ \Lambda_c^-$ threshold. A clear peak with a significance of $8.8\sigma$ is observed in the $\Lambda_c^+ \Lambda_c^-$ invariant mass distribution just above threshold. With an assumption of a resonance origin for the observed peak, a mass and width of $M=(4634^{+8}_{-7} \mathrm{(stat.)} ^{+5}_{-8} \mathrm{(sys.)})\mevc$ and $\Gamma_{\mathrm{tot}}=(92^{+40}_{-24} \mathrm{(stat.)}^{+10}_{-21} \mathrm{(sys.)})\mev$ are determined. The analysis is based on a study of events with initial-state-radiation photons in a data sample collected with the Belle detector at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance and nearby continuum with an integrated luminosity of 695 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^_$ collider.