Γ(Z → b ): A signature of hard mass terms for a heavy top

We calculate analytically the weak radiative corrections to the weak neutral current gauge boson-bottom fermion vertex, keeping the mass m_t of the internal fermion line for the relevant diagrams. We find, to order α, a hard mass-term dependence m_t²/M_W² of the amplitude, for large m_t values. Its origin comes from the unphysical charged Higgs coupling to fermions in the renormalizable gauge or, equivalently, from the longitudinal charged gauge boson couplings. The diagonal Z⁰ decay width to b-quarks decreases, due to these weak radiative corrections, by 0.6%–2.5% when the top mass m_t varies from 45 to 200 GeV.