B Physics and CP Violation

Abstract

After an introduction to the Standard-Model description of CP violation, we turn to the main focus of these lectures, the B-meson system. Since non-leptonic B decays play the key role for the exploration of CP violation, we have to discuss the tools to describe these transitions theoretically before classifying the main strategies to study CP violation. We will then have a closer look at the B-factory benchmark modes $B_d\to J/\psi K_S$, $B_d\to\phi K_S$ and $B_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, and shall emphasize the importance of studies of $B_s$ decays at hadron colliders. Finally, we focus on more recent developments related to $B\to\pi K$ modes and the $B_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, $B_s\to K^+K^-$ system.