Recent Electroweak Results from SLC/SLD

TL;DR

This paper reports recent electroweak measurements from SLD at SLC, including precise determinations of $ ext{sin}^2 heta_W^{eff}$, $A_b$, $R_b$, and $B$ meson mixing, highlighting advanced vertexing techniques and their physics applications.

Contribution

It presents updated electroweak measurements from SLD, including the most precise $ ext{sin}^2 heta_W^{eff}$ and novel direct $A_b$ measurement using polarized differential cross sections.

Findings

Updated $A_{LR}$ measurement with 1996 data

First physics results with CCD-based vertex detector VXD3

High purity $b$-quark tagging and $B_d^0$ mixing measurement

Abstract

Key electroweak measurements performed by the SLD collaboration at the SLC are described and recent results given. The left-right cross-section asymmetry, $A_{LR}$, has been updated to include the 1996 data. It remains the single most precise measurement of $\sin^2\theta_W^{eff}$, and it is compared to the LEP results. The polarized differential cross section for $b$-quarks is measured and is used to perform a unique direct measurement of the parity violation parameter for $b$ quarks, $A_b$. The excellent capability to perform secondary vertexing at SLC with CCD-based vertex detectors is described, including first physics results with the new detector VXD3. The vertexing is used to full advantage to make a highly pure B tag to measure the fraction of hadronic $Z^0$ decays going to $b$ quarks, $R_b$. The vertexing, in combination with electron-beam polarization, is used to measure $B_d^0$ mixing. The prospects for making a $B_s^0$ mixing measurement are excellent given good SLC performance in the upcoming SLC run(s).