Abstract: We report the observation of the rare charm decay D-0 -> K-pi(+)e(+)e(-), based on 468 fb(-1) of e(+)e(-) annihilation data collected at or close to the center-of-mass energy of the (sic)(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. We find the branching fraction in the invariant mass range 0.675 < m(e(+)e(-)) < 0.875 GeV/c(2) of the electron-positron pair to be B(D-0 -> K-pi(+)e(+)e(-)) = (4.0 +/- 0.5 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.1) x 10(-6), where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third due to the uncertainty in the branching fraction of the decay D-0 -> K-pi(+)pi(+)pi(-) used as a normalization mode. The significance of the observation corresponds to 9.7 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties. This result is consistent with the recently reported D-0 -> K-pi(+)mu(+)mu(-) branching fraction, measured in the same invariant mass range, and with the value expected in the standard model. In a set of regions of m(e(+)e(-)), where long-distance effects are potentially small, we determine a 90% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction B(D-0 -> K-pi(+)e(+)e(-)) < 3.1 x 10(-6).

Abstract: We search for hadronic decays of a light Higgs boson (A(0)) produced in radiative decays of an Gamma(2S) or Gamma(3S) meson, Gamma -> gamma A(0). The data have been recorded by the BABAR experiment at the Gamma(3S) and Gamma(2S) center-of-mass energies and include (121.3 +/- 1.2) x 10(6) Gamma(3S) and (98.3 +/- 0.9) x 10(6) Gamma(2S) mesons. No significant signal is observed. We set 90% confidence level upper limits on the product branching fractions B(Gamma(nS) -> gamma A(0))B(A(0) -> hadrons) (n = 2 or 3) that range from 1 x 10(-6) for an A(0) mass of 0: 3 GeV/c(2) to 8 x 10(-5) at 7 GeV/c(2).

Abstract: We search for single-photon events in 53 fb(-1) of e(+)e(-) collision data collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-Factory. We look for events with a single high-energy photon and a large missing momentum and energy, consistent with production of a spin-1 particle A' through the process e(+)e(-) -> gamma A'; A' -> invisible. Such particles, referred to as “dark photons,” are motivated by theories applying a U(1) gauge symmetry to dark matter. We find no evidence for such processes and set 90% confidence level upper limits on the coupling strength of A' to e(+)e(-) in the mass range m(A') <= 8 GeV. In particular, our limits exclude the values of the A' coupling suggested by the dark-photon interpretation of the muon (g – 2)(mu) anomaly, as well as a broad range of parameters for the dark-sector models.

Abstract: We search for the standard model Higgs boson produced with a Z boson in 4: 1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected with the CDF II detector at the Tevatron. In events consistent with the decay of the Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair and the Z boson to electrons or muons, we set 95% credibility level upper limits on the ZH production cross section multiplied by the H -> b (b) over bar branching ratio. Improved analysis methods enhance signal sensitivity by 20% relative to previous searches. At a Higgs boson mass of 115 GeV/c(2) we set a limit of 5.9 times the standard model cross section.

Abstract: We show that if global lepton number symmetry is spontaneously broken in a postinflation epoch, then it can lead to the formation of cosmological domain walls. This happens in the well-known “Majoron paradigm” for neutrino mass generation. We propose some realistic examples that allow spontaneous lepton number breaking to be safe from such domain walls.