A simultaneous analysis of the $B^{+}\to K^{+}{\ell }^{+}{\ell }^{-}$ and $B^0\to K^{*0}{\ell }^{+}{\ell }^{-}$ decays is performed to test muon-electron universality in two ranges of the square of the dilepton invariant mass, $q^2$. The measurement uses a sample of beauty meson decays produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. A sequence of multivariate selections and strict particle identification requirements produce a higher signal purity and a better statistical sensitivity per unit luminosity than previous LHCb lepton universality tests using the same decay modes. Residual backgrounds due to misidentified hadronic decays are studied using data and included in the fit model. Each of the four lepton universality measurements reported is either the first in the given $q^2$ interval or supersedes previous LHCb measurements. The results are compatible with the predictions of the Standard Model.

The LHCb upgrade represents a major change of the experiment. The detectors have been almost completely renewed to allow running at an instantaneous luminosity five times larger than that of the previous running periods. Readout of all detectors into an all-software trigger is central to the new design, facilitating the reconstruction of events at the maximum LHC interaction rate, and their selection in real time. The experiment's tracking system has been completely upgraded with a new pixel vertex detector, a silicon tracker upstream of the dipole magnet and three scintillating fibre tracking stations downstream of the magnet. The whole photon detection system of the RICH detectors has been renewed and the readout electronics of the calorimeter and muon systems have been fully overhauled. The first stage of the all-software trigger is implemented on a GPU farm. The output of the trigger provides a combination of totally reconstructed physics objects, such as tracks and vertices, ready for final analysis, and of entire events which need further offline reprocessing. This scheme required a complete revision of the computing model and rewriting of the experiment's software.

The branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-}{\tau }^{+}{\nu }_{\tau })$ is measured relative to that of the normalization mode $B^0\to D^{*-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}$ using hadronic ${\tau }^{+}\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}({\pi }^0){\overline{\nu }}_{\tau }$ decays in proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $2{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The measured ratio is $\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-}{\tau }^{+}{\nu }_{\tau })/\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+})=1.70\pm 0.10_{-0.10}^{+0.11}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is related to systematic effects. Using established branching fractions for the $B^0\to D^{*-}{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}$ and $B^0\to D^{*-}{\mu }^{+}{\nu }_{\mu }$ modes, the lepton universality test $\mathcal{R}(D^{*-})\equiv \mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-}{\tau }^{+}{\nu }_{\tau })/\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-}{\mu }^{+}{\nu }_{\mu })$ is calculated, $\mathcal{R}(D^{*-})=0.247\pm 0.015\pm 0.015\pm 0.012$, where the third uncertainty is due to the uncertainties on the external branching fractions. This result is consistent with the Standard Model prediction and with previous measurements.

Single-photon sources are important for integrated photonics and quantum technologies, and can be used in quantum key distribution, quantum computing, and sensing. Color centers in the solid state are a promising candidate for the development of the next generation of single-photon sources integrated in quantum photonics devices. They are point defects in a crystal lattice that absorb and emit light at given wavelengths and can emit single photons with high efficiency. The landscape of color centers has changed abruptly in recent years, with the identification of a wider set of color centers and the emergence of new solid-state platforms for room-temperature single-photon generation. This review discusses the emerging material platforms hosting single-photon-emitting color centers, with an emphasis on their potential for the development of integrated optical circuits for quantum photonics.

An amplitude analysis of the $B^0\to K^{*0}{\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$ decay is presented. The analysis is based on data collected by the LHCb experiment from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $4.7{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. For the first time, Wilson coefficients and nonlocal hadronic contributions are accessed directly from the unbinned data, where the latter are parametrized as a function of $q^2$ with a polynomial expansion. Wilson coefficients and nonlocal hadronic parameters are determined under two alternative hypotheses: the first relies on experimental information alone, while the second one includes information from theoretical predictions for the nonlocal contributions. Both models obtain similar results for the parameters of interest. The overall level of compatibility with the Standard Model is evaluated to be between 1.8 and 1.9 standard deviations when looking at the ${\mathcal{C}}_9$ Wilson coefficient alone, and between 1.3 and 1.4 standard deviations when considering the full set of ${\mathcal{C}}_9,{\mathcal{C}}_{10},{\mathcal{C}}_9^{\prime }$ and ${\mathcal{C}}_{10}^{\prime }$ Wilson coefficients. The ranges reflect the theoretical assumptions made in the analysis.

A flavor-tagged time-dependent angular analysis of the decay $B_s^0\to \varphi \varphi$ is performed using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at the center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The $CP$-violating phase and direct $CP$-violation parameter are measured to be ${\varphi }_s^{s\overline{s}s}=-0.042\pm 0.075\pm 0.009\mathrm{rad}$ and $|\lambda |=1.004\pm 0.030\pm 0.009$, respectively, assuming the same values for all polarization states of the $\varphi \varphi$ system. In these results, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These parameters are also determined separately for each polarization state, showing no evidence for polarization dependence. The results are combined with previous LHCb measurements using $pp$ collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding ${\varphi }_s^{s\overline{s}s}=-0.074\pm 0.069\mathrm{rad}$ and $|\lambda |=1.009\pm 0.030$. This is the most precise study of time-dependent $CP$ violation in a penguin-dominated $B$ meson decay. The results are consistent with $CP$ symmetry and with the standard model predictions.