Tau decays with charged kaons at OPAL

From an analysis of the ionisation energy loss of charged particles selected from tau pair candidates recorded in the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies near the Z/sup 0/ resonance, we determine competitive measurements of the tau /sup -/ to nu /sub tau /K/sup - />or=0h/sup 0/ branching ratio, where the h/sup 0/ notation refers to a pi /sup 0/, an eta , a K/sub S//sup 0/, or a K/sub L//sup 0/. We also determine the tau /sup -/ to nu /sub tau /K/sup -/ pi /sup -/ pi /sup +/( pi /sup 0/) and tau /sup -/ to nu /sub tau /K/sup -/ pi /sup -/K/sup +/( pi /sup 0/) branching fractions, where the ( pi /sup 0/) notation refers to decay modes with or without an accompanying pi /sup 0/. In addition, we examine the resonant structure of tau /sup - / to nu /sub tau /K/sup -/ pi /sup -/ pi /sup +/ candidates, and find that the resonant structure is dominated by the K/sub 1/(1270) resonance. (11 refs).