Momentum Distributions in ttˉt\bar t

We apply the Green function formalism for $t-\bar t$ production and decay near threshold in a study of the effects due to the momentum dependent width for such a system. We point out that these effects are likely to be much smaller than expected from the reduction of the available phase space. The Lippmann--Schwinger equation for the QCD chromostatic potential is solved numerically for $S$ partial wave. We compare the results on the total cross section, top quark intrinsic momentum distributions and on the energy spectra of $W$ bosons from top quark decays with those obtained for the constant width.Comment: 12 pages (without figures) (11 (sub)figures available on request), Karlsruhe preprint TTP93-11, hep-ph/yymmnn

Comment on the Average Momentum of Top Quarks in the Threshold Region

The behavior of the momentum distribution of top quarks in the threshold region is investigated. The qualitative behavior, in particular the dependence of the average momentum on the strong coupling constant can be understood from analytical calculations for the Coulomb potential. Ambiguities in the relation between the excitation curve and the top mass are addressed.Comment: Univ. of Karlsruhe preprint TTP93-31, LaTeX, 6 pages including two figures (uses epsf) appended as uuencoded postscript fil

Polarization in Top Quark Production and Decay near Threshold

Theoretical results are presented for top quarks produced in annihilation of polarized electrons on positrons. Polarization studies for $t\bar t$ pairs near threshold are free from hadronization ambiguities. This is due to the short lifetime of the top quark. Semileptonic decays are discussed as well as their applications in studying polarization dependent processes involving top quarks. The Green function formalism is applied to $t\bar t$ production at future $e^+e^-$ colliders with polarized beams. Lippmann--Schwinger equation is solved numerically for the QCD chromostatic potential given by the two-loop formula at large momentum transfers and Richardson ansatz at intermediate and small ones. The polarization dependent momentum distributions of top quarks and their decay products are calculated.Comment: 6 pages, LaTex (uses epsf.sty, 2 figures appended as uuencoded ps files). The complete paper, including figures, is also available via anonymous ftp at ttpux2.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de (129.13.102.139) as /ttp94-24/ttp94-24.ps, or via www at http://ttpux2.physik.uni-karlsruhe.de/preprints.html

Final-State Interactions in e^+e^- -> t\bar{t} -> b l^+ \nu \bar{b} W^- Near Top Quark Threshold

We calculate final-state interaction corrections to the energy-angular distribution of l^+ in semi-leptonic top quark decay, where the parent top quark is produced via e^+e^- -> t\bar{t} near threshold. These are the corrections due to gluon exchange between t and \bar{b} (\bar{t} and b) and between b and \bar{b}. Combining with previously known other corrections, we explicitly write down the l^+ energy-angular distribution including the full O(alpha_s)=O(beta) corrections near t\bar{t} threshold. Numerical analyses of the final-state interaction corrections are given. We find that they deform the l^+ distribution typically at the 10% level. We also find that all qualitative features of the numerical results can be understood from intuitive pictures. The mechanisms of various effects of the final-state interactions are elucidated. Finally we define an observable which is proper to the decay process of the top quark (dependent only on d\Gamma_{t -> b l^+ \nu}/ dE_l d\Omega_l of a free polarized top quark) near t\bar{t} threshold. Such a quantity will be useful in extracting the decay property of the top quark using the highly polarized top quark samples.Comment: Section 6 is enlarged substantially and a paragraph is added to Section 8 correspondingly. Reference list is also improved. (27 pages including figures, LaTeX

Gluon interference effects in t-tbar production at the Next Linear Collider

We study the effects of gluon interference in the production and semi-leptonic decay of a t-tbar pair above threshold at the Next Linear Collider (NLC). We calculate all matrix elements to next-to-leading order and use the resulting expressions for the development of a Monte Carlo event generator. Our results show effects at the level of 10% in differential cross-sections. We thus extend previous results obtained by analytical means in the soft-gluon limit.Comment: 20 pages, incl. 9 figures, LaTeX (revtex, eepic, axodraw

Electroweak and finite width corrections to top quark decays into transverse and longitudinal W W -bosons

We calculate the electroweak and finite width corrections to the decay of an unpolarized top quark into a bottom quark and a $W$-gauge boson where the helicities of the $W$ are specified as longitudinal, transverse-plus and transverse-minus. Together with the $O(\alpha_s)$ corrections these corrections may become relevant for the determination of the mass of the top quark through angular decay measurements.Comment: 4 pages, 7 postscript figures adde

The Perturbative QCD Potential and the ttbar Threshold

We include the full second-order corrections to the static QCD potential in the analysis of the ttbar threshold cross section. There is an unexpectedly large difference between the QCD potential improved by the renormalization-group equation in momentum space and the potential improved by the renormalization-group equation in coordinate space. This difference remains even at a fairly short distance 1/r \simeq 100 GeV and its origin can be understood within perturbative QCD. We scrutinize the theoretical uncertainties of the QCD potential in relation to the ttbar threshold cross section. In particular there exists a theoretical uncertainty which limits our present theoretical accuracy of the ttbar threshold cross section at the peak to be not better than 6% within perturbative QCD.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX. Improved version of hep-ph/9801419 for submission to a journa

Semileptonic b --> u decays: lepton invariant mass spectrum

We compute O(alpha_s^2) QCD corrections to the lepton invariant mass spectrum in the decay b --> u l nu_l, relevant for the determination of the CKM matrix element |V_{ub}|. Our method can also be used to evaluate moments of the lepton energy distribution with an O(alpha_s^2) accuracy. The abelian part of our result gives the neutrino invariant mass spectrum in the muon decay and, upon integration, the O(alpha^2) correction to the muon lifetime.Comment: 5 pages, revte