Branching fraction of τ[superscript -]→π[superscript -]K[subscript s][superscript 0]K[subscript s][superscript 0](π[superscript 0])ν[subscript τ]decays

Abstract

We present a study of τ[superscript -]→π[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscript 0](π[superscript 0])ν[subscript τ] and τ[superscript -]→K[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscript 0](π[superscript 0])ν[subscript τ] decays using a data set of 430 million τ lepton pairs, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 468 fb[superscript -1], collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric energy e[superscript +]e[superscript -] storage rings. We measure branching fractions of (2.31±0.04±0.08)×10[superscript -4] and (1.60±0.20±0.22)×10[superscript -5] for the τ[superscript -]→π[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscript 0]ν[subscript τ] and τ[superscript -]→π[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscript 0]π[superscript 0]ν[superscript τ] decays, respectively. We find no evidence for τ[superscript -]→K[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscipt 0]ν[subscript τ] and τ[superscript -]→K[superscript -]K[subscript S][superscript 0]K[subscript S][superscript 0]π[superscript 0]ν[subscript τ] decays and place upper limits on the branching fractions of 6.3×10[superscript -7] and 4.0×10[superscript -7] at the 90% confidence level.