Final Results on Heavy Quarks at LEP and SLD

Abstract

In the last decade, the LEP and SLD experiments played a central role in the study of B hadrons (hadrons containing a b quark). New B hadrons have been observed ($B^0_s$, \Lambda_b$,$\Xi_b$and$B^{**}$) and their production and decay properties have been measured. In this paper we will focus on measurements of the CKM matrix elements:$|V_{cb}|$,$|V_{ub}|$,$|V_{td}|$and$|V_{ts}|$. We will show how all these measurements, together with theoretical developments, have significantly improved our knowledge on the flavour sector of the Standard Model.Comment: Talk given at the XXX SLAC Summer Institute, ssi2002, August 5-16,200