We measure the production cross section of t{bar t} events in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. The data was collected by the CDF experiment in Run 2 of the Tevatron accelerator at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory between 2002 and 2007. 1.7 fb{sup -1} of data was recorded during this time period. We reconstruct t{bar t} events in the lepton+jets channel, whereby one W boson - resulting from the decay of the top quark pairs - decays leptonically and the other hadronically. The dominant background to this process is the production of W bosons in association with multiple jets. To distinguish t{bar t} from background, we identify soft electrons from the semileptonic decay of heavy flavor jets produced in t{bar t} events. We measure a cross section of {sigma}{sub p{bar p}} = 7.8 {+-} 2.4(stat) {+-} 1.6(syst) {+-} 0.5(lumi).

The Neutrino Factory has been proposed as a facility to provide an intense source of neutrinos suitable for the measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters and a possible CP violating phase to unprecedented precision. In the Neutrino Factory, neutrinos are produced by the decay of a muon beam with 20-50 GeV per muon. Initially, the muon beam occupies a large volume in phase space, which must be reduced before the beam can be accelerated. The proposed method to achieve this is to use a solenoidal ionisation colling channel.

Using approximately 1.3 fb{sup -1} of data collected by the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, the lifetime of the B{sub c}{sup {+-}} meson is studied in the B{sub c}{sup {+-}} {yields} J/{psi}{mu}{sup {+-}} + X final state. Using an unbinned likelihood simultaneous fit to J/{psi} + {mu} invariant mass and lifetime distributions, a signal of 810 {+-} 80(stat.) candidates is estimated and a lifetime measurement made of: {tau}(B{sub c}{sup {+-}}) = 0.448{sub -0.036}{sup +0.038}(stat) {+-} 0.032(sys) ps.

The lifetime of the Λ⁰_b baryon (consisting of u, d and b quarks) is the theoretically most interesting of all b-hadron lifetimes. The lifetime of Λ⁰_b probes our understanding of how baryons with one heavy quark are put together and how they decay. Experimentally however, measurements of the Λ⁰_b lifetime have either lacked precision or have been inconsistent with one another. This thesis describes the measurement of Λ⁰_b lifetime in proton-antiproton collisions with center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV at Fermilab's Tevatron collider. Using 1070 ± 60pb^-1 of data collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF), a clean sample of about 3,000 fully-reconstructed Λ⁰_b →Λ_c⁺π^- decays (with Λ⁺_c subsequently decaying via Λ⁺_c → p⁺ K^- π⁺) is used to extract the lifetime of the Λ⁰_b baryon, which is found to be cτ(Λ⁰_b) = 422.8 ± 13.8(stat) ± 8.8(syst)μm. This is the most precise measurement of its kind, and is even better than the current world average. It also settles the recent controversy regarding the apparent inconsistency between CDF's other measurement and the rest of the world.

The authors present the first measurement of the top quark mass using simultaneously data from two decay channels. They use a data sample of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV collisions with integrated luminosity of 1.9 fb{sup -1} collected by the CDF II detector. They select dilepton and lepton + jets channel decays of t{bar t} pairs and reconstruct two observables in each topology. They use non-parametric techniques to derive probability density functions from simulated signal and background samples. The observables are the reconstructed top quark mass and the scalar sum of transverse energy of the event in the dilepton topology and the reconstructed top quark mass and the invariant mass of jets from the W boson decay in lepton + jets channel. They perform a simultaneous fit for the top quark mass and the jet energy scale which is constrained in situ by the hadronic W boson resonance from the lepton + jets channel. Using 144 dilepton candidate events and 332 lepton + jets candidate events they measure: M{sub top} = 171.9 {+-} 1.7 (stat. + JES) {+-} 1.1 (other sys.) GeV/c{sup 2} = 171.9 {+-} 2.0 GeV/c{sup 2}. The measurement features a robust treatment of the systematic uncertainties, correlated between …

Particle physics deals with the fundamental building blocks of matter and their interactions. The vast number of subatomic particles can be reduced to twelve fundamental fermions, which interact by the exchange of spin-1 particles as described in the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. The SM provides the best description of the subatomic world to date, despite the fact it does not include gravitation. Following the relation {lambda} = h/p, where h is Planck's constant, for the examination of physics at subatomic scales with size {lambda} probes with high momenta p are necessary. These high energies are accessible through particle colliders. Here, particles are accelerated and brought to collision at interaction points at which detectors are installed to record these particle collisions. Until the anticipated start-up of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the Tevatron collider at Fermilab near Chicago is the highest energy collider operating in the world, colliding protons and anti-protons at a center-of-mass energy of {radical}s = 1.96 TeV. Its two interaction points are covered by the multi purpose particle detectors D0 and CDF. During the first data-taking period, known as Run I, the Tevatron operated at a center-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV. This run period lasted …

The production cross section for t{bar t} pairs decaying into two lepton final states was measured using data from the D0 detector at Fermilab. The measurement was made using a lepton+track selection, where one lepton is fully identified and the second lepton is observed as an isolated track. This analysis is designed to complement similar studies using two fully identified leptons [1]. The cross section for the lepton+track selection was found to be {sigma} = 5.2{sub -1.4}{sup +1.6}(stat){sub -0.8}{sup +0.9}(syst) {+-} 0.3(lumi) pb. The combined cross section using both the lepton+track data and the data from the electron+electron, electron+muon, and muon+muon samples is: {sigma} = 6.4{sub -0.9}{sup +0.9}(stat){sub -0.7}{sup +0.8}(syst) {+-} 0.4(lumi) pb.

MINOS is a long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. A manmade beam of predominantly muon neutrinos is detected both 1 km and 735 km from the production point by two functionally identical detectors. A comparison of the energy spectra measured by the two detectors shows the energy-dependent disappearance of muon neutrinos characteristic of oscillations and allows a measurement of the parameters governing the oscillations. This thesis presents work leading to measurements of disappearance in the 6% {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} background in that beam. A calibration is developed to correct for time-dependent changes in the responses of both detectors, reducing the corresponding uncertainty on hadronic energy measurements from 1.8% to 0.4% in the near detector and from 0.8% to 0.4% in the far detector. A method of selecting charged current {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} events is developed, with purities (efficiencies) of 96.5% (74.4%) at the near detector, and 98.8% (70.9%) at the far detector in the region below 10 GeV reconstructed antineutrino energy. A method of using the measured near detector neutrino energy spectrum to predict that expected at the far detector is discussed, and developed for use in the {bar {nu}}{sub {mu}} analysis. Sources of systematic uncertainty contributing to the oscillation measurements …

This thesis describes investigations of the first set of orbitally excited (L = 1) states for both the B{sub d}{sup 0} and B{sub s}{sup 0} meson systems (B**{sub d} and B**{sub s}). The data sample corresponds to 1.35 fb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity, collected in 2002-2006 by the D0 detector, during the Run IIa operation of the Tevatron p{bar p} colliding beam accelerator. The B**{sub d} states are fully reconstructed in decays to B{sup (*)+} {pi}{sup -}, with B{sup (*)+} {yields} {gamma} J/{psi}K{sup +}, J/{psi} {yields} {mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup -}, yielding 662 {+-} 91 events, and providing the first strong evidence for the resolution of two narrow resonances, B{sub 1} and B*{sub 2}. The masses are extracted from a binned {chi}{sup 2} fit to the invariant mass distribution, giving M(B{sub 1}) = 5720.7 {+-} 2.4(stat.) {+-} 1.3(syst.) {+-} 0.5 (PDG) MeV/c{sup 2} and M(B*{sub 2}) = 5746.9 {+-} 2.4(stat.) {+-} 1.0(syst.) {+-} 0.5(PDG) MeV/c{sup 2}. The production rate of narrow B**{sub d} {yields} B{pi} resonances relative to the B{sup +} meson is determined to be [13.9 {+-} 1.9(stat.) {+-} 3.2(syst.)]%. The same B{sup +} sample is also used to reconstruct the analogous states in the B{sub s}{sup 0} system, in decays …

Elementary particle physics tries to find an answer to no minor question: What is our universe made of? To our current knowledge, the elementary constituents of matter are quarks and leptons, which interact via four elementary forces: electromagnetism, strong force, weak force and gravity. All forces, except gravity, can be described in one framework, the Standard Model of particle physics. The model's name reflects its exceptional success in describing all available experimental high energy physics data to high precision up to energies of about 100 GeV. An exception is given by the neutrino masses but even these can be integrated into the model. The Standard Model is based on the requirement of invariance of all physics processes under certain fundamental symmetry transformations. The consideration of these symmetries leads naturally to the correct description of the electromagnetic, weak and strong forces as the exchange of interaction particles, the gauge bosons. However, this formalism has the weakness that it only allows for massless particles. In order to obey the symmetries, a way to introduce the particle masses is given by the Higgs mechanism, which predicts the existence of the only particle of the Standard Model which has yet to be observed: the …

Central exclusive production of a system X in a collision between two hadrons h is defined as hh {yields} h + X + h with no other activity apart from the decay products of X. This thesis presents predictions for the production cross section of a CP violating supersymmetric Higgs boson and the radion of the Randall-Sundrum model. The ExHuME Monte Carlo generator was written to simulate central exclusive processes and is described and explored. A comparison to di-jet observations made by the D0 detector at the Tevatron, Fermilab between January and June 2004 is made and the distributions found support the predictions of ExHuME.

Charm semileptonic decays allow a validation of lattice QCD calculations through the measurement of the hadronic form factors, which characterize the effect of strong interaction in these reactions. The accuracy of such calculations is crucial for the improvement of the test of the standard model in flavor physics. This thesis presents a study of the D{sub s}{sup +} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -}e{sup +}{nu}{sub e} channel using 214 fb{sup -1} recorded by de BAbar experiment. For events with a K{sup +}K{sup -} mass in the range between 1.01 GeV/c{sup 2} and 1.03 Gev/c{sup 2}, the {phi} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -} is the dominant component. Using the simple pole model to parameterize the q{sup 2} dependence of the form factors -V(q{sup 2}), A{sub 1}(q{sup 2}) and A{sub 2}(q{sup 2})- the following ratios are measured at q{sup 2} = 0; {tau}{sub V} = V(0)/A{sub 1}(0) = 1.868 {+-} 0.061 {+-} 0.079, r{sub 2} = A{sub 2}(0)/A{sub 1}(0) = 0.763 {+-} 0.072 {+-} 0.062. The mass pole of the axial-vector form factor is also obtained: m{sub A} = (2.30{sub -0.18}{sup +0.42} {+-} 0.21) GeV/c{sup 2}. In the same mass range, the semileptonic branching fraction, relative to the D{sub s}{sup +} {yields} {phi}{pi}{sup +} channel, …

(C5Me5)2LnOTf where Ln = La, Ce, Sm, Gd, and Yb have been synthesized and these derivatives are good starting materials for the synthesis of (C5Me5)2LnX derivatives. (C5Me5)2Ln(2,2'-bipyridine), where Ln = La, Ce, Sm, and Gd, along with several methylated bipyridine analogues have been synthesized and their magnetic moments have been measured as a function of temperature. In lanthanum, cerium, and gadolinium complexes the bipyridine ligand ligand is unequivocally the radical anion, and the observed magnetic moment is the result of intramolecular coupling of the unpaired electron on the lanthanide fragment with the unpaired electron on the bipyridine along with the intermolecular coupling between radicals. Comparison with the magnetic moments of the known compounds (C5Me5)2Sm(2,2'-bipyridine) and (C5Me5)2Yb(2,2'-bipyridine) leads to an understanding of the role of the Sm(II)/Sm(III) and Yb(II)/Yb(III) couple in the magnetic properties of (C5Me5)2Sm(2,2'-bipyridine) and (C5Me5)2Yb(2,2'-bipyridine). In addition, crystal structures of (C5Me5)2Ln(2,2'-bipyridine) and [(C5Me5)2Ln(2,2'-bipyridine)][BPh4](Ln= Ce and Gd), where the lanthanide is unequivocally in the +3 oxidation state, give the crystallographic characteristics of bipyridine as an anion and as a neutral ligand in the same coordination environment, respectively. Substituted bipyridine ligands coordinated to (C5Me5)2Yb are studied to further understand how the magnetic coupling in (C5Me5)2Yb(2,2'-bipyridine) changes with substitutions. In the …

The branching fractions for the decays B {yields} P{ell}{nu}{sub {ell}}, where P are the pseudoscalar charmless mesons {pi}{sup {+-}}, {pi}{sup 0}, {eta} and {eta}{prime} and {ell} is an electron or muon, are measured with B{sup 0} and B{sup {+-}} mesons found in the recoil of a second B meson decaying as B {yields} D{ell}{nu}{sub {ell}} or B {yields} D*{ell}{nu}{sub {ell}}. The measurements are based on a data set of 348 fb{sup -1} of e{sup +}e{sup -} collisions at {radical}s = 10.58 GeV recorded with the BABAR detector. Assuming isospin symmetry, measured pionic branching fractions are combined into {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {pi}{sup -}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}}) = (1.54 {+-} 0.17{sub (stat)} {+-} 0.09{sub (syst)}) x 10{sup -4}. First evidence of the B{sup +} {yields} {eta}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}} decay is seen; its branching fraction is measured to be {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} {eta}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}}) = (0.64 {+-} 0.20{sub (stat)} {+-} 0.03{sub (syst)}) x 10{sup -4}. It is determined that {Beta}(B{sup +} {yields} {eta}{prime}{ell}{sup +}{nu}{sub {ell}}) < 0.47 x 10{sup -4} to 90% confidence. Partial branching fractions for the pionic decays in ranges of the momentum transfer and various published calculations of the B {yields} {pi} hadronic form factor are used to obtain values …

The authors present the results of the search for the decays B{sup 0/{+-}} {yields} {rho}{sup 0/{+-}}{gamma} (previously observed) and B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma} (for which currently only an upper limit exists). Together with B {yields} K*{gamma} decays, B {yields} ({rho}/{omega}){gamma} allow us to measure the ratio of CKM-matrix elements |V{sub td}/V{sub ts}|. The analysis is based on the full BABAR dataset of 424.35 fb{sup -1} corresponding to 465 million B{bar B} pairs, and makes heavy use of multivariate classification techniques based on decision trees. They find {Beta}(B{sup {+-}} {yields} {rho}{sup {+-}}{gamma}) = (1.20{sub -0.38}{sup +0.42} {+-} 0.20) x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma}) = (0.95{sub -0.21}{sup +0.23} {+-} 0.06) x 10{sup -6}, {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) = (0.51{sub -0.24}{sup +0.27} {+-} 0.10) x 10{sup -6}, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. They do not observe a statistically significant signal in the latter channel and set an upper limit at {Beta}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma}) < 0.9 x 10{sup -6} (90% C.L.). They also measure the isospin and SU(3){sub F} violating quantities {Lambda}(B{sup +} {yields} {rho}{sup +}{gamma})/2{Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup 0}{gamma})-1 = -0.43{sub -0.22}{sup +0.25} {+-} 0.10 and {Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {omega}{gamma})/{Lambda}(B{sup 0} {yields} {rho}{sup …

Using approximately 350 million {tau}{sup +}{tau}{sup -} pair events recorded with the BaBar detector at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center between 1999 and 2006, a search has been made for neutrinoless, lepton-flavor violating tau decays to three lighter leptons. All six decay modes consistent with conservation of electric charge and energy have been considered. With signal selection efficiencies of 5-12%, we obtain 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fraction {Beta}({tau} {yields} {ell}{ell}{ell}) in the range (4-8) x 10{sup -8}.