Top quark polarization in polarized e+e− annihilation near threshold

Top quark polarization in e⁺e^{t -} annihilation into tt? is calculated for linearly polarized beams. The Green function formalism is applied to this reaction near threshold. The Lippmann—Schwinger equations for the S-wave and P-wave Green functions are solved numerically for the QCD chromostatic potential given by the two-loop formula for large momentum transfer and Richardson’s ansatz for intermediate and small momenta. S- P— wave interference contributes to all components of the top quark polarization vector. Rescattering of the decay products is considered. The mean values 〈nl〉 of the charged lepton four-momentum projections on appropriately chosen directions n in semileptonic top decays are proposed as experimentally observable quantities sensitive to top quark polarization. The results for 〈nl〉 are obtained including S- P— wave interference and rescattering of the decay products. It is demonstrated that for the longitudinally polarized electron beam a highly polarized sample of top quarks can be produced.