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Dittmann, J. R.

Publications and source records attributed to Dittmann, J. R..

At least 19 records

High-precision measurement of the W boson mass with the CDF II detector

The mass of the W boson, a mediator of the weak force between elementary particles, is tightly constrained by the symmetries of the standard model of particle physics. The Higgs boson was the last missing component of the model. After observation of the Higgs boson, a measurement of the W boson mass provides a stringent test of the model. We measure the W boson mass, M W , using data corresponding to 8.8 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected in proton-antiproton collisions at a 1.96 tera–electron volt center-of-mass energy with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. A sample of approximately 4 million W boson candidates is used to obtain M W = 80,433.5 ± 6.4 stat ± 6.9 syst = 80,433.5 ± 9.4 MeV/c 2 , the precision of which exceeds that of all previous measurements combined (stat, statistical uncertainty; syst, systematic uncertainty; MeV, mega–electron volts; c, speed of light in a vacuum). This measurement is in significant tension with the standard model expectation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the D + -meson production cross section at low transverse momentum in p p ¯ collisions at s = 1.96 TeV

We report on a measurement of the D + -meson production cross section as a function of transverse momentum (p T ) in proton-antiproton (p$\bar{p}$) collisions at 1.96 TeV center-of-mass energy, using the full data set collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab in Tevatron Run II and corresponding to 10 fb -1 of integrated luminosity. We use D + →K - π + π + decays fully reconstructed in the central rapidity region |y|<1 with transverse momentum down to 1.5 GeV/c, a range previously unexplored in p$\bar{p}$ collisions. Inelastic p$\bar{p}$ scattering events are selected online using minimally biasing requirements followed by an optimized offline selection. The K - π + π + mass distribution is used to identify the D + signal, and the D + transverse impact-parameter distribution is used to separate prompt production, occurring directly in the hard-scattering process, from secondary production from b-hadron decays. We obtain a prompt D + signal of 2950 candidates corresponding to a total cross section σ(D + ,1.5 T <14.5 GeV/c,|y|<1)=71.9±6.8(stat)±9.3(syst) μb. While the measured cross sections are consistent with theoretical estimates in each p T bin, the shape of the observed p T spectrum is softer than the expectation from quantum chromodynamics. The results are unique in p$\bar{p}$ collisions and can improve the shape and uncertainties of future predictions.

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Measurement of the W W and W Z production cross section using final states with a charged lepton and heavy-flavor jets in the full CDF Run II data set

We present a measurement of the total WW and WZ production cross sections in $p\bar{p}$ collision at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.96 TeV, in a final state consistent with leptonic W boson decay and jets originating from heavy-flavor quarks from either a W or a Z boson decay. This analysis uses the full data set collected with the CDF II detector during Run II of the Tevatron collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.4 fb -1 . An analysis of the dijet mass spectrum provides 3.7σ evidence of the summed production processes of either WW or WZ bosons with a measured total cross section of σ WW+WZ = 13.7±3.9 pb. Independent measurements of the WW and WZ production cross sections are allowed by the different heavy-flavor decay patterns of the W and Z bosons and by the analysis of secondary-decay vertices reconstructed within heavy-flavor jets. The productions of WW and of WZ dibosons are independently seen with significances of 2.9σ and 2.1σ, respectively, with total cross sections of σ WW = 9.4±4.2 pb and σ WZ = 3.7$+2.5\atop{-2.2}$ pb. Lastly, the measurements are consistent with standard-model predictions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of sin 2 θ eff lept using e + e - pairs from γ * / Z bosons produced in p p ¯ collisions at a center-of-momentum energy of 1.96 TeV

Here, at the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton (p$\bar{p}$) collider, Drell-Yan lepton pairs are produced in the process p$\bar{p}$→e + e - +X through an intermediate γ*/Z boson. The forward-backward asymmetry in the polar-angle distribution of the e - as a function of the e + e - -pair mass is used to obtain sin 2 θ$lept\atop{eff}$, the effective leptonic determination of the electroweak-mixing parameter sin2θW. The measurement sample, recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF), corresponds to 9.4 fb -1 of integrated luminosity from p$\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-momentum energy of 1.96 TeV, and is the full CDF Run II data set. The value of sin 2 θ$lept\atop{eff}$ is found to be 0.23248±0.00053. The combination with the previous CDF measurement based on μ + μ - pairs yields sin 2 θ$lept\atop{eff}$=0.23221±0.00046. This result, when interpreted within the specified context of the standard model assuming sin 2 θW=1-M$2\atop{W}$/M$2\atop{Z}$ and that the W- and Z-boson masses are on-shell, yields sin 2 θW=0.22400±0.00045, or equivalently a W-boson mass of 80.328±0.024 GeV/c 2 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry in low-mass bottom-quark pairs produced in proton-antiproton collisions

Here, we report a measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry, AFB, in $b\bar{b}$ pairs produced in proton-antiproton collisions and identified by muons from semileptonic b-hadron decays. The event sample is collected at a center-of-mass energy of √s = 1.96 TeV with the CDF II detector and corresponds to 6.9 fb –1 of integrated luminosity. We obtain an integrated asymmetry of A FB ($b\bar{b}$)=(1.2±0.7)% at the particle level for b-quark pairs with invariant mass, m $b\bar{b}$ , down to 40 GeV/c 2 and measure the dependence of A FB ($b\bar{b}$) on m $b\bar{b}$ . The results are compatible with expectations from the standard model.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Study of the energy dependence of the underlying event in proton-antiproton collisions

We study charged particle production (p(T) > 0.5 GeV/c, vertical bar eta vertical bar < 0.8) in proton-antiproton collisions at total center-of-mass energies root s = 300 GeV, 900 GeV, and 1.96 TeV. We use the direction of the charged particle with the largest transverse momentum in each event to define three regions of eta - phi space: "toward", "away", and "transverse." The average number and the average scalar pT sum of charged particles in the transverse region are sensitive to the modeling of the "underlying event." The transverse region is divided into a MAX and MIN transverse region, which helps separate the "hard component" (initial and final-state radiation) from the "beam-beam remnant" and multiple parton interaction components of the scattering. The center-of-mass energy dependence of the various components of the event is studied in detail. The data presented here can be used to constrain and improve QCD Monte Carlo models, resulting in more precise predictions at the LHC energies of 13 and 14 TeV.

Aaltonen, T.↗

Search for resonances decaying to top and bottom quarks with the CDF experiment

We report on a search for charged massive resonances decaying to top (t) and bottom (b) quarks in the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of √s = 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9.5 fb –1 . No significant excess above the standard model background prediction is observed. We set 95% Bayesian credibility mass-dependent upper limits on the heavy charged-particle production cross section times branching ratio to tb. Using a standard model extension with a W' → tb and left-right-symmetric couplings as a benchmark model, we constrain the W' mass and couplings in the 300–900 GeV/c 2 range. As a result, the limits presented here are the most stringent for a charged resonance with mass in the range 300–600 GeV/c 2 decaying to top and bottom quarks.

Aaltonen, Timo Antero↗

Measurement of the production and differential cross sections of W⁺W⁻ bosons in association with jets in p p ¯ collisions at s = 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the W-boson-pair production cross section in pp¯ collisions at 1.96 TeV center-of-mass energy and the first measurement of the differential cross section as a function of jet multiplicity and leading-jet energy. The W⁺W⁻ cross section is measured in the final state comprising two charged leptons and neutrinos, where either charged lepton can be an electron or a muon. Using data collected by the CDF experiment corresponding to 9.7 fb⁻¹ of integrated luminosity, a total of 3027 collision events consistent with W⁺W⁻ production are observed with an estimated background contribution of 1790 ± 190 events. The measured total cross section is σ(pp¯→ W⁺W⁻) = 14.0 ± 0.6(stat) ⁺1.2 ⁻1.0 (syst) ± 0.8(lumi) pb, consistent with the standard model prediction.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of central exclusive π⁺ π⁻ production in p p ¯ collisions at √s = 0.9 and 1.96 TeV at CDF

We measure exclusive π⁺ π⁻ production in proton-antiproton collisions at center-of-mass energies √s = 0.9 and 1.96 TeV in the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We select events with two oppositely charged particles, assumed to be pions, with pseudorapidity |η| < 1.3 and with no other particles detected in |η| < 5.9. We require the π⁺ π⁻ system to have rapidity |y| < 1.0. The production mechanism of these events is expected to be dominated by double pomeron exchange, which constrains the quantum numbers of the central state. The data are potentially valuable for isoscalar meson spectroscopy and for understanding the pomeron in a region of transition between nonperturbative and perturbative quantum chromodynamics. The data extend up to dipion mass M(π⁺ π⁻) = 5000 MeV / c² and show resonance structures attributed to f₀ and f₂ (1270) mesons. From the π⁺ π⁻ and K⁺K⁻ spectra, we place upper limits on exclusive χ c0 (3415) production.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Constraints on models of the Higgs boson with exotic spin and parity using decays to bottom-antibottom quarks in the full CDF data set

In this study, a search for particles with the same mass and couplings as those of the standard model Higgs boson but different spin and parity quantum numbers is presented. We test two specific alternative Higgs boson hypotheses: a pseudoscalar Higgs boson with spin-parity J P = 0 – and a gravitonlike Higgs boson with J P = 2 + , assuming for both a mass of 125 GeV/c 2 . We search for these exotic states produced in association with a vector boson and decaying into a bottom-antibottom quark pair. The vector boson is reconstructed through its decay into an electron or muon pair, or an electron or muon and a neutrino, or it is inferred from an imbalance in total transverse momentum. We use expected kinematic differences between events containing exotic Higgs bosons and those containing standard model Higgs bosons. The data were collected by the CDF experiment at the Tevatron proton-antiproton collider, operating at a center-of-mass energy of √s = 1.96 TeV, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 9.45 fb –1 . We exclude deviations from the predictions of the standard model with a Higgs boson of mass 125 GeV/c 2 at the level of 5 standard deviations, assuming signal strengths for exotic boson production equal to the prediction for the standard model Higgs boson, and set upper limits of approximately 30% relative to the standard model rate on the possible rate of production of each exotic state.

Aaltonen, Timo Antero↗