Measurements of cross sections and forward-backward asymmetries at the Z resonance and determination of electroweak parameters

Abstract. We report on measurements of hadronic and leptonic cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries performed with the L3 detector in the years 1993–95. A total luminosity of was collected at centre-of-mass energies and which corresponds to 2.5 million hadronic and 245 thousand leptonic events selected. These data lead to a significantly improved determination of Z parameters. From the total cross sections, combined with our measurements in 1990–92, we obtain the final results: An invisible width of is derived which in the Standard Model yields for the number of light neutrino species . Adding our results on the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and the tau polarisation, the effective vector and axial-vector coupling constants of the neutral weak current to charged leptons are determined to be and . Including our measurements of the forward-backward and quark charge asymmetries a value for the effective electroweak mixing angle of is derived. All these measurements are in good agreement with the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. Using all our measurements of electroweak observables an upper limit on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson of GeV is set at 95% confidence level. Received: 4 February 2000 / Published online: 18 May 2000     

Tests of the standard model and constraints on new physics from measurements of fermion-pair production at 130–172 GeV at LEP

Production of events with hadronic and leptonic final states has been measured in collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130–172 GeV, using the OPAL detector at LEP. Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries are presented, both including and excluding the dominant production of radiative Z events, and compared to Standard Model expectations. The ratio of the cross-section for production to the hadronic cross-section has been measured. In a model-independent fit to the Z lineshape, the data have been used to obtain an improved precision on the measurement of -Z interference. The energy dependence of has been investigated. The measurements have also been used to obtain limits on extensions of the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions, to search for -channel contributions from new massive particles and to place limits on gaugino pair production with subsequent decay of the gaugino into a light gluino and a quark pair. Received: 30 July 1997 / Published online: 10 March 1998     

Study of fermion pair production in \mathrm{e^+ e^-} collisions at 130–183 GeV

The cross sections and forward-backward asymmetries of hadronic and leptonic events produced in collisions at centre-of-mass energies from 130 to 183 GeV are presented. Results for , , , , and production show no significant deviation from the Standard Model predictions. This enables constraints to be set upon physics beyond the Standard Model such as four-fermion contact interactions, leptoquarks, bosons and R-parity violating squarks and sneutrinos. Limits on the energy scale of contact interactions are typically in the range from 2 to 10 TeV. Limits on R-parity violating sneutrinos reach masses of a few hundred GeV/ for large values of their Yukawa couplings. Received: 8 March 1999 / Published online: 8 December 1999     

Measurement of the forward backward asymmetry of c andb quarks at the Z pole using reconstructed D mesons

A measurement of the forward–backward asymmetry of and on the Z resonance is performed using about 3.5 million hadronic Z decays collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP in the years 1992 to 1995. The heavy quark is tagged by the exclusive reconstruction of several D meson decay modes. The forward–backward asymmetries for c andb quarks at the Z resonance are determined to be: The combination of these results leads to an effective electroweak mixing angle of: Received: 9 February 1999 / Revised version: 26 April 1999 / Published online: 3 August 1999     

Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries from the Z^0 running of LEP

During 1993 and 1995 LEP was run at 3 energies near the Z peak in order to give improved measurements of the mass and width of the resonance. During 1994, LEP operated only at the Z peak. In total DELPHI accumulated data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 116 pb. Analyses of the hadronic cross-sections and of the cross-sections and forward-backward asymmetries in the leptonic channels used the most precise evaluations of the LEP energies. In the dimuon channel, events with a photon radiated from the initial state have been used to probe the cross-sections and asymmetries down to PETRA energies. Model independent fits to all DELPHI lineshape and asymmetry data from 1990 to 1995 have been carried out giving values of the resonance parameters: These values are significantly more precise than those previously published. The results are interpreted in terms of the Standard Model. Received: 4 February 2000 / Revised version: 7 March 2000 / Published online: 8 June 2000     

Polarization and spin effects in neutralino production and decay

We study the production of neutralinos with polarized beams and the subsequent decays and , including the complete spin correlations between production and decay. We present analytical formulae for the differential cross section of the combined process of production and decay of neutralinos. We also allow for complex couplings. The spin correlations have a strong influence on the decay angular distributions and the corresponding forward–backward asymmetries. They are very sensitive to the SUSY parameters and depend strongly on the beam polarizations. We present numerical results for the cross section and the electron forward–backward asymmetry for , . We study the dependence on the parameter for various mass splittings between and and different beam polarizations. Received: 28 March 1999 / Published online: 28 May 1999     

Measurement of the Michel parameters in leptonic tau decays

The Michel parameters of the leptonic decays are measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The parameters , , (with ) and are extracted from the energy spectra of the charged decay leptons and from their energy–energy correlations. A new method involving a global likelihood fit of Monte Carlo generated events with complete detector simulation and background treatment has been applied to the data recorded at center-of-mass energies close to corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 155 pb. If e- universality is assumed and inferring the polarization from neutral current data, the measured Michel parameters are: where the value of has been constrained using the published OPAL measurements of the leptonic branching ratios and the lifetime. Limits on non-standard coupling constants and on the masses of new gauge bosons are obtained. The results are in agreement with the V–A prediction of the Standard Model. Received: 25 June 1998 / Published online: 1 March 1999     

One-prong \tau decays with kaons

Cross-sections for hadronic, and lepton pair final states in collisions at =183 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. Forward-backward asymmetries for the leptonic final states have also been measured. Cross-sections and asymmetries are also presented for data recorded in 1997 at =130 and 136 GeV. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant , and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a leptoquark, or of a squark or sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation. Received: 3 July 1998 / Published online: 15 October 1998     

Search for contact interactions in deep inelastic e^+p\to e^+X scattering at HERA

In a search for signatures of physics processes beyond the Standard Model, various eeqq vector contact–interaction hypotheses have been tested using the high– deep inelastic neutral–current scattering data collected with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of of interactions at 300 GeV center–of–mass energy. No significant evidence of a contact–interaction signal has been found. Limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the contact–interaction amplitudes. The effective mass scales corresponding to these limits range from 1.7 TeV to 5 TeV for the contact–interaction scenarios considered. Received: 18 May 1999 / Revised version: 14 January 2000 / Published online: 25 February 2000     

Precise determination of the Z resonance parameters at LEP: “Zedometry”

This final analysis of hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and of leptonic forward-backward asymmetries in collisions with the OPAL detector makes use of the full LEP 1 data sample comprising of integrated luminosity and selected Z decays. An interpretation of the data in terms of contributions from pure Z exchange and from Z interference allows the parameters of the Z resonance to be determined in a model-independent way. Our results are in good agreement with lepton universality and consistent with the vector and axial-vector couplings predicted in the Standard Model. A fit to the complete dataset yields the fundamental Z resonance parameters: GeV, GeV, nb, , and . Transforming these parameters gives a measurement of the ratio between the decay width into invisible particles and the width to a single species of charged lepton, . Attributing the entire invisible width to neutrino decays and assuming the Standard Model couplings for neutrinos, this translates into a measurement of the effective number of light neutrino species, . Interpreting the data within the context of the Standard Model allows the mass of the top quark, GeV, to be determined through its influence on radiative corrections. Alternatively, utilising the direct external measurement of as an additional constraint leads to a measurement of the strong coupling constant and the mass of the Higgs boson: and GeV. Received: 1 December 2000 / Published online: 6 April 2001     

Search for anomalous production of acoplanar di-lepton events in {\rm e^+e^-} collisions at \sqrt{s} = 183 and 189 GeV

A selection of di-lepton events with significant missing transverse momentum has been performed using a total data sample of 237.4 pb at centre-of-mass energies of approximately 183 GeV and 189 GeV. The observed numbers of events – 78 at 183 GeV and 301 at 189 GeV – are consistent with the numbers expected from Standard Model processes, which arise predominantly from production with both W bosons decaying leptonically. This topology is also an experimental signature for the pair production of new particles that decay to a charged lepton accompanied by one or more invisible particles. Discrimination techniques are described that optimise the sensitivity to particular new physics channels. No evidence for new phenomena is apparent. Upper limits on the production cross-section times branching ratio squared for sleptons and for leptonically decaying charginos and charged Higgs are presented in a manner intended to minimise the number of model assumptions. Assuming a 100% branching ratio for the decay , where is the lightest neutralino, we exclude at 95% CL: right-handed smuons with masses below 82.3 GeV for GeV and right-handed staus with masses below 81.0 GeV for GeV. Right-handed selectrons are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 87.1 GeV for GeV, within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model assuming GeV and . Charged Higgs bosons, H, are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 82.8 GeV, assuming a 100% branching ratio for the decay . Received: 6 September 1999 / Published online: 6 April 2000     

Searches for invisibly decaying Higgs bosonswith the DELPHI detector at LEP

Searches for H Z production with the Higgs boson decaying into an invisible final state were performed using the data collected by the DELPHI experiment at centre-of-mass energies between 188 GeV and 209 GeV. Both hadronic and leptonic final states of the Z boson were analysed. In addition to the search for a heavy Higgs boson, a dedicated search for a light Higgs boson down to 40 GeV/c² was performed. No signal was found. Assuming the Standard Model HZ production cross-section, the mass limit for invisibly decaying Higgs bosons is 112.1 GeV/c² at 95% confidence level. An interpretation in the Minimal Supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) and in a Majoron model is also given.Received: 2 September 2003, Revised: 10 November 2003, Published online: 15 January 2004     

Search for Higgs bosons in {\rm e^+e^-} collisions at 183 GeV

The data collected by the OPAL experiment at GeV were used to search for Higgs bosons which are predicted by the Standard Model and various extensions, such as general models with two Higgs field doublets and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 54 pb. None of the searches for neutral and charged Higgs bosons have revealed an excess of events beyond the expected background. This negative outcome, in combination with similar results from searches at lower energies, leads to new limits for the Higgs boson masses and other model parameters. In particular, the 95% confidence level lower limit for the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson is 88.3 GeV. Charged Higgs bosons can be excluded for masses up to 59.5 GeV. In the MSSM, GeV and GeV are obtained for , no and maximal scalar top mixing and soft SUSY-breaking masses of 1 TeV. The range is excluded for minimal scalar top mixing and GeV. More general scans of the MSSM parameter space are also considered. Received: 27 October 1998 / Published online: 19 February 1999     

Zγ* production in e+e- interactions at ?s = 183-209 \textGeV\sqrt{s} = 183-209\,\text{GeV}

Measurements of Zγ^* production are presented using data collected by the DELPHI detector at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 183 to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 667 pb^-1. The measurements cover a wide range of the possible final state four-fermion configurations: hadronic and leptonic (e⁺e^-qq̄, μ⁺μ^-qq̄, qq̄νν̄), fully leptonic (l⁺l^-l^’+l^’-) and fully hadronic final states (qq̄qq̄, with a low mass qq̄ pair). Measurements of the Zγ^* cross-section for the various final states have been compared with the Standard Model expectations and found to be consistent within the errors. In addition, a total cross-section measurement of the l⁺l^-l^’+l^’- cross-section is reported, and found to be in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model.     

Search for chargino and neutralino production at \sqrt{s} = 181–184 GeV at LEP

A search for charginos and neutralinos, predicted by supersymmetric theories, has been performed using a data sample of 57 pb at centre-of-mass energies of 181–184 GeV taken with the OPAL detector at LEP. No evidence for chargino or neutralino production has been found. Upper limits on chargino and neutralino pair production (, ) cross-sections are obtained as a function of the chargino mass (), the lightest neutralino mass () and the second lightest neutralino mass (). For large chargino masses the limits have been improved with respect to the previous analyses at lower centre-of-mass energies. Exclusion regions at 95% confidence level (C.L.) of parameters of the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are determined for the case of a large universal scalar mass, , implying heavy scalar fermions, and for the case of a small resulting in light scalar fermions and giving the worst-case limits. Within this framework and for GeV the 95% C.L. lower limits on for GeV are 90.0 and 90.2 GeV for and 35 respectively. These limits for all (the worst-case) are 69.1 and 65.2 GeV for and 35 respectively. Exclusion regions are also presented for neutralino masses, including an absolute lower limit at 95% C.L. for the mass of the lightest neutralino of 30.1 GeV for GeV (24.2 GeV for all ), with implications for experimental searches for the lightest neutralino as a dark matter candidate. Received: 19 August 1998 / Published online: 11 March 1999     

Photon events with missing energy in e + e- collisions at $\sqrt{s} = {}$130 to 209 GeV

The production of single- and multi-photon events has been studied in the reaction . The data collected with the DELPHI detector during the years 1999 and 2000 at centre-of-mass energies between 191 GeV and 209 GeV was combined with earlier data to search for phenomena beyond the Standard Model. The measured number of light neutrino families was consistent with three and the absence of an excess of events beyond that predicted by the Standard Model processes was used to set limits on new physics. Both model-independent searches and searches for new processes predicted by supersymmetric and extra-dimensional models have been made. Limits on new non-standard model interactions between neutrinos and electrons were also determined.Received: 31 March 2004, Revised: 14 October 2004, Published online: 7 December 2004     

Study of Bs→φ?+?? decay in a single universal extra dimension model

Using form factors derived from the light-cone sum rules, we investigate B _s →φℓ ⁺ ℓ ⁻ (ℓ=e,μ,τ) in a single universal extra dimension model (UED). In UED, there is only one new parameter with respect to the Standard Model (SM), which is the inverse of the compactification radius R of the extra dimension. In this work, the branching ratios, the dilepton invariant mass spectra, the forward–backward asymmetries, and the lepton polarization asymmetries of B _s →φℓ ⁺ ℓ ⁻ are calculated. For a lower value of 1/R, there are some considerable discrepancies between the UED and SM. However, with the increase of 1/R, the effect of UED tends to diminish; in particular for 1/R≥1000 GeV, two models have approximately the same predictions. Compared with data from CDF for B _s →φμ ⁺ μ ⁻, we find that the 1/R tends to be larger than 350 GeV. We also find that the zero crossing point of the forward–backward asymmetry of B _s →φμ ⁺ μ ⁻ becomes smaller, which would be an important platform for probing the UED effect. These results could be tested in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and the future super-B factory.     

Identification of a horizontal gauge boson in hadronic collisions

We compare distributions of leptons produced in hadronic collisions, by a horizontal neutral gauge boson, suggested by the model, to those produced by other theoretically motivated neutral gauge bosons occurring in left–right symmetric models and in superstring-inspired models. Forward–backward asymmetries in the gauge boson leptonic decay are found to be sensitive to specific forms of the couplings. The asymmetries are expected to be maximal for distinguishing it from the other Z's. Received: 17 September 2001 / Published online: 7 December 2001     

Measurement of high-Q^{2} neutral-current e^+p deep inelastic scattering cross-sections at HERA

The neutral-current deep inelastic scattering differential cross-sections , for GeV, and , for , 2500 and 10000 GeV, have been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data sample of 47.7 pb was collected at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV. The cross-section, , falls by six orders of magnitude between and 40000 GeV. The predictions of the Standard Model are in very good agreement with the data. Complementing the observations of time-like contributions to fermion-antifermion annihilation, the data provide direct evidence for the presence of exchange in the space-like region explored by deep inelastic scattering. Received: 18 May 1999 / Published online: 3 August 1999     

Study of Z boson pair production in e+e− interactions at s=192–202 GeV

The cross section for the production of Z boson pairs is measured using the data collected by the L3 detector at LEP in 1999 in e⁺e⁻ collisions at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 192 GeV up to 202 GeV. Events in all the visible final states are selected, measuring the cross section of this process. The special case of final states containing b quarks is also investigated. All results are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.