We study the processes $\gamma \gamma \to K^0_S K^{\pm}\pi^{\mp}$ and $\gamma \gamma \to K^+ K^- \pi^0$ using a data sample of 519~$fb^{-1}$ recorded with the BaBar detector operating at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider at center-of-mass energies at and near the $\Upsilon(nS)$ ($n = 2,3,4$) resonances. We observe $\eta_c$ decays to both final states and perform Dalitz plot analyses using a model-independent partial wave analysis technique. This allows a model-independent measurement of the mass-dependence of the $I=1/2$ $K \pi$ $\mathcal{S}$-wave amplitude and phase. A comparison between the present measurement and those from previous experiments indicates similar behaviour for the phase up to a mass of 1.5 $GeV/c^2$. In contrast, the amplitudes show very marked differences. The data require the presence of a new $a_0(1950)$ resonance with parameters $m=1931 \pm 14 \pm 22 \ MeV/c^2$ and $\Gamma=271 \pm 22 \pm 29 \ MeV$.
We study the lepton forward-backward asymmetry AFB and the longitudinal K* polarization FL, as well as an observable P2 derived from them, in the rare decays B->K*l+l-, where l+l- is either e+e- or mu+mu-, using the full sample of 471 million BBbar events collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Babar detector at the PEP-II e+e- collider. We separately fit and report results for the B+->K*+l+l- and B0->K*0l+l- final states, as well as their combination B->K*l+l-, in five disjoint dilepton mass-squared bins. An angular analysis of B+->K*+l+l- decays is presented here for the first time.
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 Collins asymmetries in the inclusive process $e^+e^- \rightarrow h_1 h_2 X$, $h_1h_2=KK,\, K\pi,\, \pi\pi$, at the center-of-mass energy of 10.6 GeV, using a data sample of 468 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the BaBar experiment at the PEP-II $B$ factory at SLAC National Accelerator Center. Considering hadrons in opposite thrust hemispheres of hadronic events, we observe clear azimuthal asymmetries in the ratio of unlike- to like-sign, and unlike- to all charged $h_1 h_2$ pairs, which increase with hadron energies. The $K\pi$ asymmetries are similar to those measured for the $\pi\pi$ pairs, whereas those measured for high-energy $KK$ pairs are, in general, larger.
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