Decays of polarized top quarks to lepton, neutrino and jets at NLO QCD

We compute the differential and total rate of the semileptonic decay of polarized top-quarks $t\to \ell \nu_\ell + b{\rm jet} + {\rm jet}$ at next-to-leading order (NLO) in the QCD coupling with an off-shell intermediate $W$ boson. We present several normalized distributions, in particular those that reflect the $t$-spin analyzing powers of the lepton, the b-jet and the $W^+$ boson at LO and NLO QCD.Comment: Latex, 22 page

Angular Correlations in Top Quark Pair Production and Decay at Hadron Colliders

We show how to observe sizable angular correlations between the decay products of the top quark and those of the anti-top quark in top quark pair production and decay at hadron colliders. These correlations result from the large asymmetry in the rate for producing like-spin versus unlike-spin top quark pairs provided the appropriate spin axes are used. The effects of new physics at production or decay on these correlations are briefly discussed.Comment: 34 pages, revtex, including 12 uuencoded postscript figure

CP violation at colliders

The prospects of experimental detection of $CP$ violation at $e^+e^-$ and $pp/p\overline{p}$ colliders are reviewed. After a general discussion on the quantities which can measure $CP$ violation and on the implications of the $CPT$ theorem, various possibilities of measuring $CP$ violation arising outside the standard model are taken up. $CP$ violation in leptonic processes, especially polarization effects in $e^+e^-\rightarrow l^+l^-$ are discussed next. $CP$ violation in $t\overline{t}$ and $W^+W^-$ production and decay is also described. (Based on talk presented at the WHEPP3, Madras, January 1994).Comment: 20 pages, latex, no figures (only revision is the comment that the article is based on a talk presented at WHEPP3, Madras, January 1994

Top Production in Hadron-Hadron Collisions and Anomalous Top-Gluon Couplings

We discuss the influence of anomalous tbar-t-G couplings on total and differential tbar-t production cross sections in hadron-hadron collisions. We study in detail the effects of a chromoelectric and a chromomagnetic dipole moment, d' and \mu', of the top quark. In the d'-\mu' plane, we find a whole region where the anomalous couplings give a zero net contribution to the total top production rate. In differential cross sections, the anomalous moments have to be quite sizable to give measurable effects. We estimate the values of d' and \mu' which are allowed by the present Tevatron experimental results on top production. A chromoelectric dipole moment of the top violates CP invariance. We discuss a simple CP-odd observable which allows for a direct search for CP violation in top production.Comment: footnote pg. 4 changed, acknowledgments extende

Probing Top-Quark Couplings at Polarized NLC

The energy spectrum of the lepton(s) in e^+e^- --> tt-bar --> l^{+-} ...../l^+l^-..... at next linear colliders (NLC) is studied for arbitrary longitudinal beam polarizations as a possible test of new physics in top-quark couplings. The most general non-standard couplings for gamma-tt-bar, Ztt-bar and Wtb vertices are considered. Expected precision of the non-standard-parameter determination is estimated applying the optimal-observable procedure.Comment: Final version, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Top Quark Pair Production and Decay including Spin Effects at Hadron Colliders: Predictions at NLO QCD

Top quark-antiquark ($t\bar t$) pairs will be produced copiously at the Tevatron collider and in huge numbers at the LHC. This will make possible detailed investigations of the properties and interactions of this quark flavor. The analysis and interpretation of future data requires precise predictions of the hadronic production of $t\bar t$ pairs and of their subsequent decays. In this talk the reactions $p {\bar p}, p p \to t{\bar t} + X \to l^+ l'^- + X$ are considered and results are presented of our calculation of the dilepton angular distribution at next-to-leading order QCD, keeping the full dependence on the spins of the intermediate $t\bar{t}$ state. The angular distribution is determined for different choices of reference axes that can be identified with the $t$ and $\bar t$ spin axes. While the QCD corrections to the leading-order distribution turn out to be small in the case of the LHC, we find them to be sizeable in the case of the Tevatron and find, moreover, the angular distribution to be sensitive to the parton content of the proton.Comment: Talk given at 3rd Circum-Pan-Pacific Symposium on "High Energy Spin Physics", Beijing, China, 8-13, 200

Top quark spin correlations at hadron colliders: Predictions at next-to-leading order QCD

The collider experiments at the Tevatron and the LHC will allow for detailed investigations of the properties of the top quark. This requires precise predictions of the hadronic production of $t\bar t$ pairs and of their subsequent decays. In this Letter we present for the reactions $p {\bar p}, p p \to t{\bar t} + X \to \ell^+\ell'^-X$ the first calculation of the dilepton angular distribution at next-to-leading order (NLO) in the QCD coupling, keeping the full dependence on the spins of the intermediate $t\bar{t}$ state. The angular distribution reflects the degree of correlation of the $t$ and $\bar t$ spins which we determine for different choices of $t$ and $\bar t$ spin bases. In the case of the Tevatron, the QCD corrections are sizeable, and the distribution is quite sensitive to the parton content of the proton.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

CP Violation in the Top-Quark Pair Production at a Next Linear Collider

We provide a detailed, model-independent, study for CP violation effects due to the T-odd top-quark electric dipole moment (EDM) and weak dipole moment (WDM) in the top-quark pair production via $e^+e^-$ and two-photon annihilation at a next $e^+e^-$ linear collider (NLC). There are two methods in detecting CP violation effects in these processes. One method makes use of measurements of various spin correlations in the final decay products of the produced top-quark pair, while the other is to measure various CP-odd polarization asymmetry effects of the initial states. In the $e^+e^-$ case only the first method can be used, and in the $\gamma\gamma$ case both methods can be employed. We provide a complete classification of angular correlations of the $t$ and $\bar{t}$ decay products under CP and CP\tilde{T} which greatly faciliate CP tests in the $e^+e^-$ mode. Concentrating on the second method with the Compton back-scattered high-energetic laser light off the electron or positron beam in the two-photon mode, we construct two CP-odd and CP\tilde{T}-even initial polarization configurations and apply them to investigating CP-violating effects due to the top-quark EDM. With a typical set of experimental parameters at the NLC, we compare the 1-\sigma sensitivities to the top-quark EDM and WDM in the $e^+e^-$ mode and the two-photon mode. Some model expectation values of the T-odd parameters are compared with the results.Comment: 45 pages(LaTeX), 10 eps figures, uses epsfig.st

Master Integrals for Massless Three-Loop Form Factors: One-Loop and Two-Loop Insertions

The three-loop form factors in massless QCD can be expressed as a linear combination of master integrals. Besides a number of master integrals which factorise into products of one-loop and two-loop integrals, one finds 16 genuine three-loop integrals. Of these, six have the form of a bubble insertion inside a one-loop or two-loop vertex integral. We compute all master integrals with these insertion topologies.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figur

CP Nonconservation in ppˉ→tbˉXp\bar p\to t\bar b X at the Tevatron

The reaction $p\bar p\to t\bar bX$ is found to be rather rich in exhibiting several different types of CP asymmetries. The spin of the top quark plays an important role. Asymmetries are related to form factors arising from radiative corrections of the $tbW$ production vertex due to non-standard physics. As illustrations, effects are studied in two Higgs Doublet Models and in Supersymmetric Models; asymmetries up to a few percent may be possible.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Note: replaced due to minor problems that appeared on some postscript previewers. No change in conten