First observation of the φtoπ^+π^-γ decay

Radiative decays of the $\phi$ meson have been studied using a data sample of about 20 million $\phi$ decays collected by the CMD-2 detector at VEPP-2M collider in Novosibirsk. From selected $e^+e^-\to\pi^{+}\pi^{-}\gamma$ events the $\phi\to\pi^{+}\pi^{-}\gamma$ decay has been observed for the first time. \par Under the assumption that the intermediate $f_{0}(980)\gamma$ state dominates in the $\phi \to \pi^+\pi^-\gamma$ decay, the corresponding branching ratio is $Br(\phi\to f_{0}(980)\gamma)=(1.93\pm 0.46\pm 0.50)\times10^{-4}$. \par Selected $e^+e^-\to\mu^+\mu^-\gamma$ events were used to obtain $Br(\phi\to\mu^+\mu^-\gamma) =(1.43\pm 0.45\pm 0.14)\times10^{-5}$ for $E_{\gamma}>20$ MeV. \par Using the same data sample, upper limits at 90% CL have been obtained for the C-violating decay of the $\phi$: $Br(\phi\to\rho\gamma) < 1.2\times10^{-5}$; and for the P- and CP-violating decay of the $\eta$: \par $Br(\eta\to\pi^+\pi^-) < 3.3\times10^{-4}$.