Measurements of the W and Z Inclusive Cross Sections and Determination of the W Decay Width

TL;DR

This paper reviews measurements of W and Z boson production cross sections at Fermilab, compares results with QCD predictions, and uses these to infer the W decay width and test the Standard Model.

Contribution

It provides updated experimental measurements of W and Z production cross sections and derives the W decay width from these data, testing Standard Model predictions.

Findings

Measured W and Z cross sections agree with QCD predictions.

Derived the W decay width from experimental data.

Set limits on deviations from the Standard Model.

Abstract

Recent results on the production of $W$ and $Z$ gauge bosons in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8$~TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider from the \D0 and CDF experiments are reviewed. Measurements of the inclusive cross sections times leptonic branching ratios in both the electron and muon decay channels are summarized and compared to QCD predictions. Using the ratio $R = {\sigma_W \cdot B(W\rightarrow l\nu)}/ {\sigma_Z \cdot B(Z\rightarrow ll)}$ and assuming standard model couplings, an indirect determination of the W decay width is obtained. By comparing this measured value with the predicted value for the $W$ width, a limit on the deviation from the standard model is obtained.