We propose a minimal extension of the Standard Model where an up-type vector-like quark, denoted T, is introduced and provides a simple solution to the CKM unitarity problem. We adopt the Botella-Chau parametrization in order to extract the $$4\times 3$$ 4 × 3 quark mixing matrix which contains the three angles of the $$3\times 3$$ 3 × 3 CKM matrix plus three new angles denoted $$\theta _{14}$$ θ 14 , $$\theta _{24}$$ θ 24 , $$\theta _{34}$$ θ 34 . It is assumed that the mixing of T with standard quarks is dominated by $$\theta _{14}$$ θ 14 . Imposing a recently derived, and much more restrictive, upper-bound on the New Physics contributions to $$\epsilon _{K}$$ ϵ K , we find, in the limit of exact $$\theta _{14}$$ θ 14 dominance where the other extra angles vanish, that $$\epsilon _{K}^{\text {NP}}$$ ϵ K NP is too large. However, if one relaxes the exact $$\theta _{14}$$ θ 14 dominance limit, there exists a parameter region, where one may obtain $$\epsilon _{K}^{\text {NP}}$$ ϵ K NP in agreement with experiment while maintaining the novel pattern of T decays with the heavy quark decaying predominantly to the light quarks d and u. We also find a reduction in the decay rate of $$K_L\rightarrow \pi ^0 \nu {\overline{\nu }}$$ K L → π 0 ν ν ¯ .

We put forward the conjecture that the small numbers in the V CKM matrix, are generated by physics beyond the Standard Model. We identify as small numbers V ub and the strength of CP violation, measured by |ImQ|, where Q stands for a rephasing invariant quartet of V CKM . We illustrate how the conjecture can be realised in the context of an extension of the Standard Model where an up-type vector-like quark is introduced leading to a realistic spectrum of quark masses and an effective V CKM in agreement with experiment.

We propose a minimal set of weak-basis invariants in an extension of the SM where one up-type isosinglet vector-like quark is introduced, which allows us to obtain all the physical content of the CKM matrix. We present CP-odd invariants of lower order in mass than the one in the SM, which may have important consequences for Baryogenesis. We study the extreme chiral limit, where the two lightest generations have vanishing mass, showing that in this extension, contrary to the SM, CP violation can be observed in collisions much above the electroweak scale.

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