We present the results of two searches for new particles that couple Z bosons in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV using the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). In the first, we search for a long-lived parent of the Z boson using a data sample with a luminosity of 163 pb{sup -1}. Finding no significant excess above background, we set a limit on a fourth generation model as a function of mass and lifetime. In the second, we search for a particle that decays to a Z boson in conjunction with jets using a data sample with a luminosity of 1.06 fb{sup -1}. Finding no significant excess above background, we set a limit on a fourth generation model as a function of mass.

Using 1.1 fb{sup -1} of data collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) from Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron, they measure the t{bar t} production cross section in events with two leptons, significant missing transverse energy, and {ge} 2 jets. As the Run II dataset grows, more stringent tests of Standard Model predictions for the top quark sector are becoming possible. The dilepton channel, where both top quarks decay t {yields} Wb {yields} {ell}{nu}b, is of particular interest due to its high purity even in the absence of a b jet 'tagging' requirement. Use of an isolated track as the second lepton significant increases the dilepton acceptance, at the price of some increase in background, particular from W + jets events where one of the jets is identified as a lepton. With the amount of data available, it has been possible to improve the estimate of the contribution from that background, reflected in a reduced systematic uncertainty. Assuming a branching ratio of BR(W {yields} {ell}{nu}) = 10.8% and a top mass of m{sub t} = 175 GeV/c{sup 2}, the measured cross-section is {sigma}(p{bar p} {yields} t{bar t}) = 8.3 {+-} 1.3(stat.) {+-} 0.7(syst.) {+-} 0.5(lumi.) pb. The result …

Cerium gadolinium oxide (CGO) has been identified as an acceptable solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte at temperatures (500-700 C) where cheap, rigid, stainless steel interconnect substrates can be used. Unfortunately, both the high sintering temperature of pure CGO, >1200 C, and the fact that constraint during sintering often results in cracked, low density ceramic films, have complicated development of metal supported CGO SOFCs. The aim of this work was to find new sintering aids for Ce{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}O{sub 1.95}, and to evaluate whether they could be used to produce dense, constrained Ce{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}O{sub 1.95} films at temperatures below 1000 C. To find the optimal sintering aid, Ce{sub 0.9}Gd{sub 0.1}O{sub 1.95} was doped with a variety of elements, of which lithium was found to be the most effective. Dilatometric studies indicated that by doping CGO with 3mol% lithium nitrate, it was possible to sinter pellets to a relative density of 98.5% at 800 C--a full one hundred degrees below the previous low temperature sintering record for CGO. Further, it was also found that a sintering aid's effectiveness could be explained in terms of its size, charge and high temperature mobility. A closer examination of lithium doped Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 indicated that …

This work presents a search for the pair production of doubly-charged Higgs bosons in the process p{bar p} {yields} H{sup ++}H{sup --} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}{mu}{sup -} using the data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 1.1 fb{sup -1}. This is the complete dataset of RunIIa taken from April 19, 2002 to February 22, 2006 by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. In the absence of significant excess above standard model background, 95% confidence level mass limits of M(H{sub L}{sup {+-}{+-}}) > 150 GeV and M(H{sub R}{sup {+-}{+-}}) > 126.5 GeV are set for left-handed and right-handed doubly-charged Higgs bosons respectively assuming a 100% branching ratio into muons.

W{gamma} production is analyzed in the electron and muon decay channels with approximately 1 fb{sup -1} of data from p{bar p} collisions that were produced at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV and that were collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The inclusive p{bar p} {yields} {ell}{nu}{gamma} cross section is measured in both channels and is found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectation of 2.08 {+-} 0.05{sub PDF} pb for events with a photon E{sub T} > 11 GeV, {Delta}R{sub {ell}{sub {gamma}}} > 0.7, and {ell}{nu}{gamma} transverse mass greater than 90 GeV . The observed cross section is measured to be 2.05 {+-} 0.18{sub stat} {+-} 0.10{sub sys} {+-} 0.13{sub lumi} pb and a.72 {+-} 0.19{sub stat} {+-} 0.15{sub sys} {+-} 0.10{sub lumi} pb for the electron and muon channels respectively. The photon E{sub T} spectrum is examined for indications of anomalous WW{gamma} couplings. No evidence is found, and the following one-dimensional limits are set at a 95% confidence level: -0.18 < {lambda} < 0.18 and 0.16 < {kappa} < 1.84. The observed charge-signed photon-lepton rapidity difference is consistent with the Standard Model prediction and is indicative of the theoretically expected radiation …

This thesis presents evidence for the B**{sup 0} and {Sigma}{sub b}{sup (*){+-}} hadrons in proton-antiproton collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using data collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. In the search for B**{sup 0} {yields} B{sup {+-}} {pi}{sup {-+}}, two B{sup {+-}} decays modes are reconstructed: B{sup {+-}} {yields} J/{Upsilon}K{sup {+-}}, where J/{Upsilon} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}, and B{sup {+-}} {yields} {bar D}{sup 0}{pi}{sup {+-}}, where {bar D}{sup 0} {yields} K{sup {+-}} {pi}{sup {+-}}. Both modes are reconstructed using 370 {+-} 20 pb{sup -1} of data. Combining the B{sup {+-}} meson with a charged pion to reconstruct B**{sup 0} led to the observation and measurement of the masses of the two narrow B**{sup 0} states, B{sub 1}{sup 0} and B*{sub 2}{sup 0}, of m(B{sub 1}{sup 0}) = 5734 {+-} 3(stat.) {+-} 2(syst.) MeV/c{sup 2}; m(B*{sub 2}{sup 0}) = 5738 {+-} 5(stat.) {+-} 1(syst.) MeV/c{sup 2}. In the search for {Sigma}{sub b}{sup (*){+-}} {yields} {Lambda}{sub b}{sup 0}{pi}{sup {+-}}, the {Lambda}{sub b}{sup 0} is reconstructed in the decay mode {Lambda}{sub b}{sup 0} {yields} {Lambda}{sub c}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}, where {Lambda}{sub c}{sup +} {yields} pK{sup -} {pi}{sup +}, using 1070 {+-} 60 pb{sup -1} of data. Upon combining …

MINOS is a long-baseline neutrino oscillations experiment located at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), USA. It makes use of the NuMI neutrino beamline and two functionally identical detectors located at distances of {approx}1km and {approx}735km from the neutrino production target respectively. The Near Detector measures the composition and energy spectrum of the neutrino beam with high precision while the Far Detector looks for evidence of neutrino oscillations. This thesis presents work conducted in two distinct areas of the MINOS experiment: analysis of neutral current and charged current interactions. While charged current events are only sensitive to muon neutrino disappearance, neutral current events can be used to distinguish oscillations into sterile neutrinos from those involving only active neutrino species. A complete, preliminary neutral current study is performed on simulated data. This is followed by a more detailed investigation of neutral current neutrino interactions in the MINOS Near Detector. A procedure identifying neutral current interactions and rejecting backgrounds due to reconstruction failures is developed. Two distinct event classification methods are investigated. The selected neutral current events in the Near Detector are used to extract corrections to the neutral current cross-section in the MINOS Monte Carlo simulation as a function of energy. The …