Search for the reactions e + e - →μ + τ - and e + e - →e + τ -

We report on a search for the lepton- flavor- violating processes e(+) e(-) -> mu(+) tau(-) and e(+) e(-) -> e(+) tau(-). The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 211 fb(-1) recorded by the BABAR experiment at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at a center-of-mass energy of root s = 10.58 GeV. We find no evidence for a signal and set the 90% confidence level upper limits on the cross sections to be sigma (mu tau) < 3.8 fb and sigma(e tau) < 9.2 fb. The ratio of the cross sections with respect to the dimuon cross section are measured to be sigma (mu tau)/sigma (mu mu) < 3.4 X 10(-6) and sigma (e tau)/sigma (mu mu) < 8.2 X 10(-6).