Constraints on left-right symmetric models from the process $b\to s\gamma$

Abstract

In left-right symmetric models, large contributions to the decay amplitude $b\to s+\gamma$ can arise from the mixing of the $W_L$ and $W_R$ gauge bosons as well as from the charged Higgs boson. These amplitudes are enhanced by the factor $\text{mt}/\text{mb}$ compared to the contributions in the standard model. We use the recent CLEO results on the radiative $B$ decay to place constraints on the $W_L-W_R$ mixing angle $\zeta$ and the mass of the charged Higgs boson $m_{H^{\pm }}$. Significant departures from the standard model predictions occur when $|\zeta |>0.003$ and/or when $m_{H^{\pm }}<$ a few TeV.

Comments: in LaTeX, 12 pages + 4 figures (available on request), BA-93-69, UT-662