A new measurement of $B_{pi e2}$, the $pi^+ to e^+ u(gamma)$ decay branching ratio, is currently under way at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The present experimental result on $B_{pi e2}$ constitutes the most accurate test of lepton universality availa
ble. The accuracy, however, still lags behind the theoretical precision by over an order of magnitude. Because of the large helicity suppression of the $pi_{e2}$ decay, its branching ratio is susceptible to significant contributions from new physics, making this decay a particularly suitable subject of study.
A new measurement of $B_{pi e2}$, the $pi^+ to e^+ u(gamma)$ decay branching ratio, is currently under way at the Paul Scherrer Institute. The present experimental result on $B_{pi e2}$ constitutes the most accurate test of lepton universality availa
ble. The accuracy, however, still lags behind the theoretical precision by over an order of magnitude. Thanks to the large helicity suppression of $pi_{e2}$ decay, the branching ratio is susceptible to significant contributions from new physics, making this decay a particularly suitable subject of study.
