Search for the decay K_S->e+e-

Abstract

We present results of a direct search for the decay K_S->e+e- with the KLOE detector, obtained with a sample of e+e- -> phi -> K_S K_L events produced at DAFNE, the Frascati phi-factory, for an integrated luminosity of 1.9 fb-1. The Standard Model prediction for this decay is BR(K_S->e+e-) = 2 x 10^-14. The search has been performed by tagging the K_S decays with simultaneous detection of a K_L interaction in the calorimeter. Background rejection has been optimized by using both kinematic cuts and particle identification. At the end of the analysis chain we find BR(K_S->e+e-) < 9.3 x 10^-9 at 90% CL, which improves by a factor of ~15 on the previous best result, obtained by CPLEAR experiment.