Search for an axion-like particle in B β K (*) a(β Ξ³Ξ³) decays at Belle
We report a search for an axion-like particle a in B β K (*) a decays using data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy electron-positron collider. The search is based on a 711 fb β1 data sample collected at the Ξ₯(4S) resonance energy, corresponding to a sample of 772 Γ 10 6 Ξ₯(4S) events. In this study, we search for the decay of the axion-like particle into a pair of photons, a β Ξ³Ξ³. We scan the two-photon invariant mass in the range 0.16 GeVβ4.50 GeV for the K modes and 0.16 GeVβ4.20 GeV for the K * modes. No significant signal is observed in any of the modes, and 90% confidence level upper limits are established on the coupling to the W boson, g aW , as a function of a mass. The limits range from 3 Γ 10 β6 GeV β1 to 3 Γ 10 β5 GeV β1 , improving the current constraints on g aW by a factor of two over the most stringent previous experimental results.