Search for contact interactions in deep inelastic e(+)p → e(+)X scattering at HERA

Abstract

In a search for signatures of physics processes beyond the Standard Model, various eeqq vector contact-interaction hypotheses have been tested using the high-Q(2) deep inelastic neutral-current e(+)p scattering data collected with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 47.7pb(-1) of e(+)p interactions at 300 GeV center-of-mass energy. No significant evidence of a contact- interaction signal has been found. Limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the contact-interaction amplitudes. The effective mass scales Lambda corresponding to these limits range from 1.7 TeV to 5 TeV for the contact-interaction scenarios considere