We calculate the one loop renormalisation parameters for the heavy-light axial-vector and vector currents using lattice perturbation theory. We use NonRelativistic QCD (NRQCD) heavy quarks and the Highly Improved Staggered Quark (HISQ) action for the light quarks. We present results for heavy-light currents with massless HISQ quarks and briefly discuss the extension to heavy-heavy currents with massive HISQ quarks.
One-loop matching of heavy-light currents is carried out for a highly improved lattice action, including the effects of dimension 4 O(1/M) and O(a) operators. We use the NRQCD action for heavy quarks, the Asqtad improved naive action for light quarks
, and the Symanzik improved glue action. As part of the matching procedure we also present results for the NRQCD self energy and for massless Asqtad quark wavefunction renormalization with improved glue.
We determine the mass spectra of heavy baryons containing one or more bottom quarks along with their hyperfine splittings and various mass differences on MILC 2+1 Asqtad lattices at three different lattice spacings. NRQCD action is used for bottom qu
arks whereas relativistic HISQ action for the lighter up/down, strange and charm quarks. We consider all possible combinations of bottom and lighter quarks to construct the bottom baryon operators for the states $J^P=1/2^+$ and $3/2^+$.
We discuss our ongoing effort to calculate form factors for several B and Bs semileptonic decays. We have recently completed the first unquenched calculation of the form factors for the rare decay B -> K ll. Extrapolated over the full kinematic range
of q^2 via model-independent z expansion, these form factor results allow us to calculate several Standard Model observables. We compare with experiment (Belle, BABAR, CDF, and LHCb) where possible and make predictions elsewhere. We discuss preliminary results for Bs -> K l nu which, when combined with anticipated experimental results, will provide an alternative exclusive determination of |Vub|. We are exploring the possibility of using ratios of form factors for this decay with those for the unphysical decay Bs -> eta_s as a means of significantly reducing form factor errors. We are also studying B -> pi l nu, form factors for which are combined with experiment in the standard exclusive determination of |Vub|. Our simulations use NRQCD heavy and HISQ light valence quarks on the MILC 2+1 dynamical asqtad configurations.
We present a progress report on new calculations of B and B_s meson decay constants employing NRQCD heavy and HISQ light valence quarks and using MILC N_f = 2+1 AsqTad lattices. Bare quark masses have been retuned in accord with HPQCDs new r_1 scale.
We find significant reductions in discretization effects compared to previous calculations with AsqTad light valence quarks. Matching of the NRQCD/HISQ heavy-light axial vector current is carried out at one-loop order including all relevant dimension 4 current corrections.
We discuss preliminaries of a calculation of the form factors for the semileptonic decays B -> pi lv, B_s -> K lv, and B -> K ll. We simulate with NRQCD heavy and HISQ light valence quarks on the MILC 2+1 dynamical asqtad configurations. The form fac
tors are calculated over a range of momentum transfer to allow determination of their shape and the extraction of |V_ub|. Additionally, we are calculating ratios of these form factors to those for the unphysical decay B_s -> eta_s. We are studying the possibility of combining these precisely determined ratios with future calculations of B_s ->eta_s using HISQ b-quarks to generate form factors with significantly reduced errors.