Measurement of the W mass and width in e^+e^- collisions at 189 GeV

The mass of the W boson is determined in ee collisions at LEP by the direct reconstruction of W decays in and events, supplemented by measurements using the kinematic properties of the leptons in the decay channel. The main sample of W pairs is selected from an integrated luminosity of 174 pb collected with the ALEPH detector in 1998 at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.63 GeV. The combined result from all channels is where FSI represents the possible effects of final state interactions in the channel. In a second two-parameter fit to the , and channels, where the W mass and width are decoupled, the average W width is found to be { GeV/}, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. The combination of the mass measurement presented in this paper together with those derived previously from the W pair cross section at 161 and 172 GeV and direct reconstruction at 172 and 183 GeV gives Received: 15 March 2000 / Published online: 8 September 2000     

Search for single leptoquark and squark production in electron-photon scattering at $\sqrt{s_{\rm ee}}=189$ GeV at LEP

A search for first generation scalar and vector leptoquarks (LQ) as well as for squarks () in R-parity violating SUSY models with the direct decay of the into Standard Model particles has been performed using ee collisions collected with the OPAL detector at LEP at an ee centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 160 pb. The dominant process for this search is , where a photon, which has been radiated by one of the beam electrons, serves as a source of quarks. The numbers of selected events found in the two decay channels are in agreement with the expectations from Standard Model processes. This result allows to set lower limits at the 95% confidence level on the mass of first generation scalar and vector leptoquarks, and of squarks in R-parity violating SUSY models. For Yukawa couplings to fermions larger than , the mass limits range from 121 GeV to GeV ( GeV to GeV) depending on the branching ratio of the scalar (vector) leptoquark state. Furthermore, limits are set on the Yukawa couplings for leptoquarks and for squarks, and on as a function of the scalar leptoquark/squark mass. Received: 22 May 2001 / Published online: 25 January 2002     

Search for pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

A search for pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks is performed in the final state containing two electrons and two jets using proton-proton collision data at √s = 7 TeV. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 33 pb?1 collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The number of observed events is in good agreement with the predictions for the standard model background processes, and an upper limit is set on the leptoquark pair production cross section times β2 as a function of the leptoquark mass, where β is the branching fraction of the leptoquark decay to an electron and a quark. A 95% confidence level lower limit is set on the mass of a first-generation scalar leptoquark at 384 GeV for β = 1, which is the most stringent direct limit to date.     

A search for leptoquark bosons and lepton flavor violation in e^+ p collisions at HERA

A search for new bosons possessing couplings to lepton-quark pairs is performed in the H1 experiment at HERA using 1994 to 1997 data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of pb. First generation leptoquarks (LQs) are searched in very high neutral (NC) and charged (CC) current data samples. The measurements are compared to Standard Model (SM) expectations from deep-inelastic scattering (DIS). A deviation in the spectrum previously observed in the 1994 to 1996 dataset at GeV remains, though with less significance. This deviation corresponded to a clustering in the invariant mass spectrum at GeV which is not observed with the 1997 dataset alone. The NC DIS data is used to constrain the Yukawa couplings of first generation scalar and vector LQs in the Buchmüller–Rückl–Wyler effective model. Scalar LQs are excluded for masses up to 275 GeV for a coupling of electromagnetic strength, . A sensitivity to coupling values is established for masses up to 400 GeV for any LQ type. The NC and CC DIS data are combined to constrain for arbitrary branching ratios of the LQ into eq in a generic model. For a decay branching ratio into pairs as small as 10%, LQ masses up to 260 GeV are ruled out for . LQs possessing couplings to mixed fermion generations, which could lead to signals of lepton flavor violation (LFV), are searched in events with a high transverse momentum or . No or event candidate is found that is compatible with LQ kinematics. Constraints are set on the Yukawa coupling involving the and lepton in a yet unexplored mass range. Received: 2 July 1999 / Published online: 28 September 1999     

Search for pair production of second-generation scalar leptoquarks in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

A search for pair production of second-generation scalar leptoquarks in the final state with two muons and two jets is performed using proton-proton collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb?1. The number of observed events is in good agreement with the predictions from the standard model processes. An upper limit is set on the second-generation leptoquark cross section times β2 as a function of the leptoquark mass, and leptoquarks with masses below 394 GeV are excluded at a 95% confidence level for β = 1, where β is the leptoquark branching fraction into a muon and a quark. These limits are the most stringent to date.     

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     

Search for lepton flavor violation in ep collisions at 300 GeV center of mass energy

Using the ZEUS detector at the HERA electronproton collider, we have searched for lepton flavor violation in ep collisions at a center—of—mass energy ($sqrt S$) of 300 GeV. Events of the type e + p → ? + X with a final—state lepton of high transverse momentum, ? = μ or τ, were sought. No evidence was found for lepton flavor violation in the combined 1993 and 1994 data samples, for which the integrated luminosities were 0.84 pb{?1}for e{～p collisions and 2.94 pb{?1} for e⁺p collisions. Limits on coupling vs. mass are provided for leptoquarks and R—parity violating squarks. For flavor violating couplings of electromagnetic strength, we set 95% confidence level lower limits on leptoquark masses between 207 GeV and 272 GeV, depending on the leptoquark species and final—state lepton. For leptoquark masses larger than 300 GeV, limits on flavor—changing couplings are determined, many of which supersede prior limits from rare decay processes.     

Formation and decay of scalar Leptoquarks/Squarks in ep collisions

The cross sections for the formation of scalar resonances, leptoquarks or squarks, in electron/positron-proton collisions at HERA are presented, including next-to-leading order QCD corrections. Depending mildly on the mass of the resonances, the K-factors increase the production cross sections by up to 30% if the target quarks are valence quarks. The QCD corrections to the partial decay widths of leptoquarks/ squarks to leptons and quarks are small. The electron spectrum in the decays is nevertheless softened by perturbative gluon radiation at a level of 2 GeV for a leptoquark/ squark mass of 200 GeV.     

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     

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     

Search for pair-produced leptoquarks in e + e- interactions at $\sqrt{s} \simeq 189\text{--}209$ GeV

A search for pair-produced leptoquarks is performed using collision events collected by the OPAL detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 209 GeV. The data sample corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 596 pb^-1. The leptoquarks are assumed to be produced via couplings to the photon and the Z⁰. For a given search channel only leptoquark decays involving a single lepton generation are considered. No evidence for leptoquark pair production is observed. Lower limits on masses for scalar and vector leptoquarks are calculated. The results improve most of the LEP limits derived from previous searches for the pair production process by 10-25 GeV, depending on the leptoquark quantum numbers.Received: 6 May 2003, Published online: 24 October 2003     

Strong-interaction effects in stop pair production at e^+ e^- colliders

We discuss perturbative and non-perturbative strong-interaction effects in the pair production of stop squarks () at colliders. Events with an additional hard gluon allow to detect or exclude production even in scenarios with very small mass splitting between and an invisible lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP). Such events can also help to establish that transforms as a triplet under SU(3). We also carefully study non-perturbative fragmentation, which is currently not well understood: not only is the fragmentation function not known very well, but also there are ambiguities in the algorithm employed to model fragmentation. We present numerical results both for CERN LEP–183 and for a proposed future collider operating at center-of-mass energy GeV. Received: 19 February 1999 / Revised version: 12 March 1999 / Published online: 3 August 1999     

Search for leptoquark pairs decaying into nunu+jets in pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV

We present the results of a search for leptoquark (LQ) pairs in (85.2+/-3.7) pb(-1) of pp* collider data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron. We observe no evidence for leptoquark production and set a limit on sigma(pp*-->LQLQ-->nunu+jets) as a function of the mass of the leptoquark (m(LQ)). Assuming the decay LQ-->nuq, we exclude scalar leptoquarks for m(LQ) < 98 GeV/c(2), and vector leptoquarks for m(LQ) < 200 GeV/c(2) and coupling which produces the minimum cross section, at a 95% confidence level.     

Diffractive jet production in deep-inelastic e^+p collisions at HERA

A measurement is presented of dijet and 3-jet cross sections in low- diffractive deep-inelastic scattering interactions of the type , where the system X is separated by a large rapidity gap from a low-mass baryonic system Y. Data taken with the H1 detector at HERA, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.0 pb, are used to measure hadron level single and double differential cross sections for and . The energy flow not attributed to jets is also investigated. The measurements are consistent with a factorising diffractive exchange with trajectory intercept close to 1.2 and tightly constrain the dominating diffractive gluon distribution. Viewed in terms of the diffractive scattering of partonic fluctuations of the photon, the data require the dominance of over states. Soft colour neutralisation models in their present form cannot simultaneously reproduce the shapes and the normalisations of the differential cross sections. Models based on 2-gluon exchange are able to reproduce the shapes of the cross sections at low values. Received: 21 December 2000 / Published online: 6 April 2001     

Leptoquark signal from global analysis

Data from HERA, LEP and the Tevatron as well as from low energy experiments are used to constrain the Yukawa couplings for scalar and vector leptoquarks in the Buchmüller–Rückl–Wyler effective model. In the limit of very high leptoquark masses constraints on the coupling to the mass ratio are derived using the contact-interaction approximation. For finite masses the coupling limits are studied as a function of the leptoquark mass. Some leptoquark models are found to describe the existing experimental data much better than the standard model. The increase in the global probability observed for models including or leptoquark production/exchange corresponds to an effect of more than . Assuming that a real leptoquark signal is observed, the allowed region in the –M plane is calculated. The leptoquark signal mostly results from the new data on the atomic parity violation in cesium, but is also supported by recent LEP2 measurements, unitarity violation in the CKM matrix and HERA high- results. Received: 21 June 2000 / Revised version: 31 August 2000 / Published online: 23 October 2000     

Predictions of QCD fragmentation models ine + e − annihilation up to\sqrt s = 200 GeV

Results on event and single particle characteristics are presented for the three most successful perturbative QCD+fragmentation models in the c.m. energy range 12.0≦W≦200 GeV. The models were optimised to describe the properties of the large sample of hadronic events obtained by TASSO atW=35 GeV. The energy evolution of the observables across the range spanned by the PETRA and PEP data, 12.0≦〈W〉≦41.5 GeV, is reasonably well described by all the models. However, for some quantities the predictions of the different models diverge at higher energies; distributions of observables are shown at c.m. energies of 93 and 200 GeV, where data are expected from thee ⁺ e ^? colliders currently under construction. The ability to describe simultaneously, with the same parameter values, hadronic event features both at PETRA/PEP and LEP/SLC energies will provide a severe test of the models. The effects of top quark production on the event properties are illustrated for a top mass of 60 GeV/c². Predictions are given for the rates of multijet events up toW=200 GeV, where ≧4-jet events dominate the cross section and will form a background to events containing heavy states which decay into hadron jets.     

Multi-photon production in ee collisions at \sqrt{s} = 181-209 GeV

The process is studied using data collected by the OPAL detector at LEP between the years 1997 and 2000. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 672.3 pb^-1 at centre-of-mass energies lying between 181 GeV and 209 GeV. Total and differential cross-sections are determined and found to be in good agreement with the predictions of QED. Fits to the observed angular distributions are used to set limits on parameters from several models of physics beyond the Standard Model such as cut-off parameters, contact interactions of the type , gravity in extra spatial dimensions and excited electrons. In events with three photons in the final state the mass spectrum of photon pairs is investigated. No narrow resonance is found and limits are placed on the product of the production cross-section and branching ratio. Received: 22 July 2002 / Published online: 8 November 2002     

Implications of BNL measurement of \delta a_{\mu} on a class of scalar leptoquark interactions

Recently BNL have measured the muon magnetic moment anomaly with increased precision. The world average experimental value at present shows a discrepancy of from the standard model (SM) value. In this paper we investigate the implications of this difference on a class of scalar leptoquark interactions to SM quark–lepton pair. We find that for a leptoquark mass of a few hundred GeV the BNL muon anomaly can arise from couplings much smaller than even the electromagnetic coupling. We also find that the BNL value for the muon anomaly leads to an unambiguous prediction for the electric dipole moment of the muon and a bound on the flavor changing leptoquark coupling relevant for the rare decay . Received: 15 April 2001 / Published online: 6 July 2001