Test of lepton flavor universality and search for lepton flavor violation in B → Kℓℓ decays

We present measurements of the branching fractions for the decays B → Kμ$^{+}$μ$^{-}$ and B → Ke$^{+}$e$^{-}$, and their ratio (RK), using a data sample of 711 fb$^{-1}$ that contains 772 × 10$^{6}$ B$\overline{B}$ events. The data were collected at the ϒ(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e$^{+}$e$^{-}$ collider. The ratio RK is measured in five bins of dilepton invariant-mass-squared (q$^{2}$): q$^{2}$ ∈ (0.1, 4.0), (4.00, 8.12), (1.0, 6.0), (10.2, 12.8) and (> 14.18) GeV$^{2}$/c$^{4}$, along with the whole q$^{2}$ region. The R$_{K}$ value for q$^{2}$ ∈ (1.0, 6.0) GeV$^{2}$/c$^{4}$ is 1.03$\substack{+0.28\\-0.24}$ ± 0.01. The first and second uncertainties listed are statistical and systematic, respectively. All results for R$_{K}$ are consistent with Standard Model predictions. We also measure CP-averaged isospin asymmetries in the same q$^{2}$ bins. The results are consistent with a null asymmetry, with the largest difference of 2.6 standard deviations occurring for the q$^{2}$ ∈ (1.0, 6.0) GeV$^{2}$/c$^{4}$ bin in the mode with muon final states. The measured differential branching fractions, dB/dq$^{2}$, are consistent with theoretical predictions for charged B decays, while the corresponding values are below the expectations for neutral B decays. ... mehrWe have also searched for lepton-flavor-violating B → Kμ$^{±}$e$^{∓}$ decays and set 90% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fraction in the range of 10$^{-8}$ for B$^{+}$ → K$^{+}$μ$^{±}$e$^{∓}$, and B$^{0}$ → K$^{0}$μ$^{±}$e$^{∓}$ modes.