Measurement of the Tau Lifetime at SLD

TL;DR

This paper reports a precise measurement of the tau lepton lifetime using three analysis techniques on data collected at SLD, achieving a result with small statistical and systematic uncertainties.

Contribution

It introduces a combined measurement of tau lifetime utilizing decay length and impact parameter methods with high precision at SLD.

Findings

Tau lifetime measured as 297 ± 9 (stat) ± 5 (syst) femtoseconds.

Utilized three analysis techniques for cross-validation.

Achieved high precision thanks to SLD's stable collision region and vertex detector.

Abstract

A measurement of the lifetime of the tau lepton has been made using a sample of 1671 $Z^0\rightarrow\tau^+\tau^-$ decays collected by the SLD detector at SLC. The measurement benefits from the small and stable collision region at SLC and the precision vertex detector of SLD. Three analysis techniques have been used: decay length, impact parameter, and impact parameter difference methods. The combined result is $\tau_\tau = 297\pm 9(stat.)\pm 5(syst.)$ fs.