B→πll Form Factors for New Physics Searches from Lattice QCD.

The rare decay B→πℓ^{+}ℓ^{-} arises from b→d flavor-changing neutral currents and could be sensitive to physics beyond the standard model. Here, we present the first ab initio QCD calculation of the B→π tensor form factor f_{T}. Together with the vector and scalar form factors f_{+} and f_{0} from our companion work [J. A. Bailey et al., Phys. Rev. D 92, 014024 (2015)], these parametrize the hadronic contribution to B→π semileptonic decays in any extension of the standard model. We obtain the total branching ratio BR(B^{+}→π^{+}µ^{+}µ^{-})=20.4(2.1)×10^{-9} in the standard model, which is the most precise theoretical determination to date, and agrees with the recent measurement from the LHCb experiment [R. Aaij et al., J. High Energy Phys. 12 (2012) 125].

Refining new-physics searches in B→Dτν with lattice QCD.

The semileptonic decay channel B→Dτν is sensitive to the presence of a scalar current, such as that mediated by a charged-Higgs boson. Recently, the BABAR experiment reported the first observation of the exclusive semileptonic decay B→Dτ(-)ν, finding an approximately 2σ disagreement with the standard-model prediction for the ratio R(D)=BR(B→Dτν)/BR(B→Dℓν), where ℓ = e,µ. We compute this ratio of branching fractions using hadronic form factors computed in unquenched lattice QCD and obtain R(D)=0.316(12)(7), where the errors are statistical and total systematic, respectively. This result is the first standard-model calculation of R(D) from ab initio full QCD. Its error is smaller than that of previous estimates, primarily due to the reduced uncertainty in the scalar form factor f(0)(q(2)). Our determination of R(D) is approximately 1σ higher than previous estimates and, thus, reduces the tension with experiment. We also compute R(D) in models with electrically charged scalar exchange, such as the type-II two-Higgs-doublet model. Once again, our result is consistent with, but approximately 1σ higher than, previous estimates for phenomenologically relevant values of the scalar coupling in the type-II model. As a by-product of our calculation, we also present the standard-model prediction for the longitudinal-polarization ratio P(L)(D)=0.325(4)(3).