The possibility of exploring the flavor changing neutral current
tcZ/tcγ couplings in the production vertex for the reaction \epem\to
t\bar c + \bar tc is examined. Using a model independent parameterization for
the effective Lagrangian to describe the most general three-point interactions,
production cross sections are found to be relatively small at LEP II, but
potentially sizeable at higher energy \epem colliders. The kinematic
characteristics of the signal are studied and a set of cuts are devised for
clean separation of the signal from background. The resulting sensitivity to
anomalous flavor changing couplings at LEP II with an integrated luminosity of
4×500 pb−1 is found to be comparable to their present indirect
constraints from loop processes, while at higher energy colliders with 0.5−1
TeV center-of-mass energy and 50-200 fb−1 luminosity, one expects to reach
a sensitivity at or below the percentage level.Comment: Latex, 22 page