Highlights of the B-Physics Landscape

The exploration of the quark-flavour sector of the Standard Model is one of the hot topics in particle physics of this decade. In these studies, which show a fruitful interplay between theory and experiment, the B-meson system offers a particularly interesting laboratory. After giving an introduction to quark-flavour mixing and CP violation as well as to the theoretical tools to deal with non-leptonic B decays, we discuss popular avenues for new physics to enter the roadmap of quark-flavour physics. This allows us to have a detailed look at the B-factory benchmark modes $B^0_d\to J/\psi K_S$, $B^0_d\to \phi K_S$ and $B^0_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, with a particular emphasis of the impact of new physics. We then perform an analysis of the $B\to\pi K$ puzzle, which may indicate new sources of CP violation in the electroweak penguin sector, and discuss its implications for rare B and K decays. The next topic is given by $b\to d$ penguin processes, which are now starting to become accessible at the B factories, thereby representing a new territory of the B-physics landscape. Finally, we discuss the prospects for B-decay studies at the Large Hadron Collider, where the $B^0_s$-meson system plays an outstanding role.Comment: 64 pages, 19 figures, invited topical review for Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physic

New Strategies to Extract Weak Phases from Neutral B Decays

We discuss new, theoretically clean strategies to determine the angle $\gamma$ of the unitarity triangle from $B_d\to DK_{S(L)}$, $B_s\to D\eta^{(')}, D\phi, ...$ decays, and point out that the $B_s\to DK_{S(L)}$ and $B_d\to D\pi^0, D\rho^0, ...$ modes allow very interesting determinations of the $B^0_q$--$\bar{B^0_q}$ mixing phases $\phi_s$ and $\phi_d$, respectively. Their colour-allowed counterparts $B_s\to D_s^{(*)\pm} K^\mp, ...$ and $B_d\to D^{(*)\pm} \pi^\mp, ...$ also offer new methods to probe $\gamma$.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX, invited talk at the HEP2003 Europhysics Conference, Aachen, Germany, 17-23 July 2003, to appear in the proceeding

New Strategies to Extract CKM Phases from Non-Leptonic B Decays

Several new strategies to extract CKM phases, including a determination of $\gamma$ from $B_{s(d)}\to J/\psi K_S$ decays and a general approach, which makes use of the angular distributions of certain $B_{d,s}$ modes, such as $B_d\to J/\psi \rho^0$ and $B_s\to J/\psi \phi$, are discussed. Special emphasis is put on a simultaneous determination of $\beta$ and $\gamma$ with the help of the decays $B_d\to \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $B_s\to K^+ K^-$, which relies only on the $U$-spin flavour symmetry of strong interactions and is not affected by any penguin or final-state-interaction effects.Comment: 5 pages, no figures. Talk given at the International Europhysics Conference on High Energy Physics -- EPS-HEP '99, Tampere, Finland, 15-21 July 1999. To appear in the Proceeding

CP Violation in the B System: Status and Perspectives

In this decade, the exploration of CP violation is governed by the B-meson system, where non-leptonic decays play an outstanding role. To set the stage, we have first a look at the main strategies to circumvent the calculation of the relevant hadronic matrix elements in these studies, and discuss popular avenues for physics beyond the Standard Model to enter the roadmap of quark-flavour physics. We are then well prepared to analyze puzzles in the data for B -> phi K and B -> pi K decays, and to discuss b -> d penguin processes, which represent a new territory for the B-factory studies. Finally, we turn to the physics potential of the Bs-meson system, which can be fully exploited at the LHC.Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures. Invited talk at the Symposium in Honour of Gustavo C. Branco: CP Violation and the Flavour Puzzle, Lisbon, Portugal, 19-20 July 2005, to appear in the Proceedings (Acta Physica Polonica

New Physics in B and K Decays

Flavour physics offers interesting probes for the exploration of the Standard Model and the search for new physics. In these lectures, we focus on B- and K-meson decays, introduce the concept of low-energy effective Hamiltonians to describe them theoretically, and discuss how physics beyond the Standard Model may generically affect the roadmap of quark-flavour physics. We address then both the implications of the B-factory data for the B_d -> J/psi K_S channel and the prospects of B_s -> J/psi phi modes for hadron colliders, and discuss how the Standard Model may be challenged through B_d -> phi K_S. Finally, as an example of a systematic flavour strategy to search for new physics, we analyze puzzling patterns in the B -> pi pi, pi K data and study their interplay with rare K and B decays.Comment: 44 pages, 10 figures, invited lectures given at the Lake Louise Winter Institute "Fundamental Interactions", Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, 20-26 February 200

CP Violation Beyond the Standard Model

Recent developments concerning CP violation beyond the Standard Model are reviewed. The central target of this presentation is the $B$ system, as it plays an outstanding role in the extraction of CKM phases. Besides a general discussion of the appearance of new physics in the corresponding CP-violating asymmetries through $B^0_q$--$\bar{B^0_q}$ mixing $(q\in\{d,s\})$, it is emphasized that CP violation in non-leptonic penguin modes, e.g. in $B_d\to\phi K_{S}$, offers a powerful tool to probe physics beyond the Standard Model. In this respect $B\to\pi K$ modes, which have been observed recently by the CLEO collaboration, may also turn out to be very useful. Their combined branching ratios allow us to constrain the CKM angle $\gamma$ and may indicate the presence of physics beyond the Standard Model.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, no figures. Invited plenary talk given at the 7th International Symposium on Heavy Flavor Physics, Santa Barbara, California, 7-11 July 1997. To appear in the proceeding