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