Measurement of the $B$ Meson Differential Cross Section, $d\sigma/dp_T$, in $p\bar{p}$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.8$ TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports the first direct measurement of the $B$ meson differential cross section in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.8 TeV, using reconstructed decay channels and comparing results with NLO QCD predictions.

Contribution

It provides the first direct measurement of the $B$ meson differential cross section at this energy, using specific decay modes and a sizable data sample.

Findings

Measured $d\sigma/dp_T$ for $B$ mesons in $p\bar{p}$ collisions.

Results are compared with next-to-leading order QCD predictions.

First direct measurement at this energy and kinematic range.

Abstract

This paper presents the first direct measurement of the $B$ meson differential cross section, $d\sigma/dp_T$, in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8$ TeV using a sample of $19.3 \pm 0.7$ pb$^{-1}$ accumulated by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). The cross section is measured in the central rapidity region $|y| < 1$ for $p_T(B) > 6.0$ GeV/$c$ by fully reconstructing the $B$ meson decays $B^{+}\to J/\psi K^{+}$ and $B^{0}\to J/\psi K^{*0}(892)$, where $J/\psi \to \mu^+\mu^-$ and $K^{*0} \to K^+ \pi^-$. A comparison is made to the theoretical QCD prediction calculated at next-to-leading order.