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Main Authors: Xiang, Benhou, Chang, Wanling, Fang, Shuangshi, Zhang, Jingqing
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.14735
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author Xiang, Benhou
Chang, Wanling
Fang, Shuangshi
Zhang, Jingqing
author_facet Xiang, Benhou
Chang, Wanling
Fang, Shuangshi
Zhang, Jingqing
contents We present the first comprehensive study of the rare Dalitz decay $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+ \ell^- (\ell = e, μ)$, providing a prediction for the branching fraction and the dilepton mass spectrum. This decay involves the emission of a virtual photon which converts into a lepton pair, offering a probe of the transition form factor $F_{K^*K}(q^2)$ and underlying meson structure. Using a single pole approximation for the form factor, we present the calculation of the branching fraction for this rare decay channel for the first time. Furthermore, we also investigate the potential to search for a light $A^\prime$ boson (dark photon) appearing as a narrow resonance in the dilepton spectrum, and discuss the experimental sensitivity and new physics opportunities at the dedicated BESIII experiment. Our results establish $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+ \ell^- (l = e, μ)$ as a new laboratory for hadronic structure and dark-sector searches.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_14735
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Dalitz decay of $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+\ell^-$: A New Probe for Hadronic Structure and Dark Photon Searches
Xiang, Benhou
Chang, Wanling
Fang, Shuangshi
Zhang, Jingqing
High Energy Physics - Experiment
We present the first comprehensive study of the rare Dalitz decay $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+ \ell^- (\ell = e, μ)$, providing a prediction for the branching fraction and the dilepton mass spectrum. This decay involves the emission of a virtual photon which converts into a lepton pair, offering a probe of the transition form factor $F_{K^*K}(q^2)$ and underlying meson structure. Using a single pole approximation for the form factor, we present the calculation of the branching fraction for this rare decay channel for the first time. Furthermore, we also investigate the potential to search for a light $A^\prime$ boson (dark photon) appearing as a narrow resonance in the dilepton spectrum, and discuss the experimental sensitivity and new physics opportunities at the dedicated BESIII experiment. Our results establish $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+ \ell^- (l = e, μ)$ as a new laboratory for hadronic structure and dark-sector searches.
title Dalitz decay of $K^*(892) \rightarrow K \ell^+\ell^-$: A New Probe for Hadronic Structure and Dark Photon Searches
topic High Energy Physics - Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.14735