Kaon Experiments

Abstract

After $CP$ violation was discovered in the $K_L \to \pi^+\pi^-$ decay, many theories were proposed to explain it, and the Kobayashi-Maskawa model and the Superweak model lasted for many years as strong candidates. High-precision kaon experiments with many new techniques and improvements rejected the Superweak model and supported the Kobayashi-Maskawa model in 1990's. After then, rare kaon decay experiments are studying $K_L \to \pi^0\nu \overline{\nu}$ decays to search for $CP$ violation caused by new physics beyond the Standard Model. Various techniques have been developed to increase the sensitivity and to suppress backgrounds.