Integrated optical directional coupler biosensor

We present measurements on biomolecular binding reactions, using a new type of integrated optical biosensor based on a planar directional coupler structure. The device is fabricated by Ag+-Na+ ion-exchange in glass and definition of the sensing region is achieved by use of transparent fluoropolymer isolation layers formed by thermal evaporation. The suitability of the sensor for application to the detection of environmental pollutants is considered

Strong Coupling Constant from Scaling Violations in Fragmentation Functions

We present a new determination of the strong coupling constant alpha_s through the scaling violations in the fragmentation functions for charged pions, charged kaons, and protons. In our fit we include the latest e+e- annihilation data from CERN LEP1 and SLAC SLC on the Z-boson resonance and older, yet very precise data from SLAC PEP at center-of-mass energy sqrt(s)=29 GeV. A new world average of alpha_s is given.Comment: 10 pages, 3 eps figue

D^* production from e^+e^- to ep collisions in NLO QCD

Fragmentation functions for D mesons, based on the convolution of a perturbative part, related to the heavy quark perturbative showering, and a non-perturbative model for its hadronization into the meson, are used to describe D^* production in e^+e^- and ep collisions. The non-perturbative part is determined by fitting the e^+e^- data taken by ARGUS and OPAL at 10.6 and 91.2 GeV respectively. When fitting with a non perturbative Peterson fragmentation function and using next-to-leading evolution for the perturbative part, we find an epsilon parameter sensibly different from the one commonly used, which is instead found with a leading order fit. The use of this new value is shown to increase considerably the cross section for D^* production at HERA, suggesting a possible reconciliation between the next-to-leading order theoretical predictions and the experimental data.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX2e, 8 Postscript figure

The t-tbar cross-section at 1.8 and 1.96 TeV: a study of the systematics due to parton densities and scale dependence

We update the theoretical predictions for the t-tbar production cross-section at the Tevatron, taking into account the most recent determinations of systematic uncertainties in the extraction of the proton parton densities.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, Late

J/psi Production via Fragmentation at the Tevatron

The production of \jpsi at large transverse momenta (\pt > M_\jpsi) in $p\bar p$ collisions is considered by including the mechanism of fragmentation. Both contributions of fragmentation to \jpsi and of fragmentation to $\chi$ states followed by radiative decay to \jpsi are taken into account. The latter is found to be dominant and larger than direct production. The overall theoretical estimate is shown to be nearly consistent with the experimental observation.Comment: LaTeX, 7 pages. Preprint FNT/T-94/13, LNF-94/024(P). Data taken from a reference were incorrect and have been changed. Complete postscript file available via anonymous ftp at cobra1.pv.infn.it, as pub/jpsi.ps(.Z)(.gz

Prospects of Open Charm Production at GSI-FAIR and J-PARC

We present a detailed phenomenological study of the prospects of open charm physics at the future $\bar{p}p$ and $pp$ facilities GSI-FAIR and J-PARC, respectively. In particular, we concentrate on differential cross sections and the charge and longitudinal double-spin asymmetries at next-to-leading order accuracy. Theoretical uncertainties for the proposed observables are estimated by varying the charm quark mass and the renormalization and factorization scales.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figure

Low-Energy Supersymmetry and the Tevatron Bottom-Quark Cross Section

A long-standing discrepancy between the bottom-quark production cross section and predictions of perturbative quantum chromodynamics is addressed. We show that pair production of light gluinos, of mass 12 to 16 GeV, with two-body decays into bottom quarks and light bottom squarks, yields a bottom-quark production rate in agreement with hadron collider data. We examine constraints on this scenario from low-energy data and make predictions that may be tested at the next run of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider.Comment: Version in Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pp., 1 ps fig., uses RevTeX, added why moderate gluino masses are not ruled out, updated reference

Charge asymmetry in hadroproduction of heavy quarks

A sizeable difference in the differential production cross section of top and antitop quarks, respectively, is predicted for hadronically produced heavy quarks. It is of order $\alpha_s$ and arises from the interference between charge odd and even amplitudes respectively. For the TEVATRON it amounts to approximately 5-10% in the region where the cross section is large and could therefore be measured in the next round of experiments. At the LHC the asymmetry can be studied by selecting appropriately chosen kinematical regions.Comment: LaTeX, 5pp, 5 figures, uses revtex. The complete paper, including figures, is also available via anonymous ftp at ftp://ttpux2.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/ , or via www at http://www-ttp.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/cgi-bin/preprints/ Final version as published in Phys.Rev.Let

Inclusive J/psi and psi(2S) Production from B Decay in p p-bar Collisions

Using information on B-meson fragmentation functions from CERN LEP 1 and adopting the nonrelativistic QCD factorization formalism proposed by Bodwin, Braaten, and Lepage, we predict the transverse-momentum distribution of J/psi mesons originating from the inclusive decays of b hadrons produced in p p-bar collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron. We determine the relevant colour-octet charmonium matrix elements from fits to CDF data on prompt charmonium hadroproduction and to CLEO data on charmonium production from B-meson decay. Our predictions are found to agree well with recent CDF and D0 data.Comment: 27 pages (Latex), 9 figures (Postscript

Analytic Calculation of Prompt Photon plus Associated Heavy Flavor at Next-to-Leading Order in QCD

Contributions through second order, $O(\alpha ^2_s)$, in perturbative quantum chromodynamics are calculated analytically for inclusive associated production of a prompt photon and a charm quark at large values of transverse momentum in high energy hadron-hadron collisions. Seven partonic subprocesses contribute at order $\alpha^2_s$. We find important corrections to the lowest order, $O(\alpha_s)$, subprocess $c g \rightarrow \gamma c$. We demonstrate to what extent data from $p +\bar{p}\rightarrow \gamma + c + X$ may serve to measure the charm quark density in the nucleon.Comment: 34 pages RevTex plus 9 figures submitted as uuencoded ps files; figures replaced and text revised to include one additional referenc