Neutral B meson oscillations in the B-s(0) - <(B-s(0))over bar>, and B-d(0) - <(B-d(0))over bar> systems were studied using a sample of about 4.0 million hadronic Z decays recorded by the DELPHI ...detector between 1992 and 2000. Events with a high transverse momentum lepton were removed and a sample of 770 k events with an inclusively reconstructed vertex was selected. The mass difference between the two physical states in the B-d(0) - <(B-d(0))over bar>system was measured to be: Deltam(d) = (0.531 +/- 0.025(stat.) +/- 0.007(syst.))ps(-1). The following limit on the width difference of these states was also obtained: DeltaGamma(Bd)/Gamma(Bd) < 0.18 at 95% CL. As no evidence for B-s(0) -<(B-s(0))over bar> oscillations was found, a limit on the mass difference of the two physical states was given:, Deltam(s) > 5.0 ps(-1) at 95% CL. The corresponding sensitivity of this analysis is equal to 6.6 ps(-1).
Measurements of Zγ* production are presented using data collected by the DELPHI detector at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 183 to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 667 ...pb-1. The measurements cover a wide range of the possible final state four-fermion configurations: hadronic and leptonic (e+e-qq̄, μ+μ-qq̄, qq̄νν̄), fully leptonic (l+l-l’+l’-) and fully hadronic final states (qq̄qq̄, with a low mass qq̄ pair). Measurements of the Zγ* cross-section for the various final states have been compared with the Standard Model expectations and found to be consistent within the errors. In addition, a total cross-section measurement of the l+l-l’+l’- cross-section is reported, and found to be in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model.
This paper describes flavour independent searches for hadronically decaying neutral Higgs bosons in the data collected by the DELPHI experiment at LEP, at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 209 ...GeV. The collected data-set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of around 610 pb-1. The and processes are considered, with direct Higgs boson decays into hadrons. No evidence for Higgs boson production is found, and cross-section limits are set as a function of the Higgs boson masses. No explicit assumptions are made on the underlying physics beyond the Standard Model, allowing interpretation of the data in a large class of models.
A search for the pair production of fourth generation b’-quarks was performed using data taken by the DELPHI detector at LEP-II. The analysed data were collected at centre-of-mass energies ranging ...from 196 to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 420 pb-1. No evidence for a signal was found. Upper limits on BR(b’→bZ) and BR(b’→cW) were obtained for b’ masses ranging from 96 to 103 GeV/c2. These limits, together with the theoretical branching ratios predicted by a sequential four generations model, were used to constrain the value of , where Vcb′, Vtb′ and Vtb are elements of the extended CKM matrix.
eta(c)(2980) production in gammagamma interactions has been detected via its decays into K(s)(0)K(-/+)pi(-/+), K+K-K+K- and K(+)K(-)pi(+)pi(-) in the data taken with the DELPHI detector at LEP1 and ...LEP2 energies. The two-photon radiative width averaged over all observed decay channels is Gammagammagamma=13.9+/-2.0(stat.)+/-1.4(syst.)+/-2.7 (BR) keV. No direct decay channel eta(c)-->pi(+)pi(-)pi(+)pi(-) has been observed. An upper limit Gamma(gammagamma)<5.5 keV at 95% confidence level has been evaluated for this decay mode.
Searches for resonant (ν) over tilde production in e(+)e(-) collisions under the assumption that R-parity is not conserved and that the dominant R-parity violating coupling is lambda(121) or ...lambda(131) used data recorded by DELPHI in 1997 to 2000 at centre-of-mass energies of 183 to 208 GeV. No deviation from the Standard Model was observed. Upper limits are given for the lambda(121) and lambda(131) couplings as a function of the sneutrino mass and total width. The limits are especially stringent for sneutrino masses equal to the centre-of-mass energies with the highest integrated luminosities recorded.
Despite almost universal agreement that employee absenteeism leads to decreased production efficiency, there is little documentation of a relationship between these variables. Several authors have ...even suggested that absenteeism might have some beneficial effects. The present study finds that absenteeism and department efficiency are negatively associated only (1) when production processes are not highly automated, and (2) when the absences cannot be anticipated in advance. Despite these limitations, however, the costs attributable to the impact of absenteeism on department efficiency are substantial. Programmes designed to decrease unanticipated absenteeism, therefore, can result in considerable savings by increasing operating efficiency where employees are directly involved in the production process.
A test of the benchmark QED process e(+) e(-) -->gammagamma(gamma) is reported, using the data collected with the DELPHI detector at LEP 2. The data analysed were recorded at centre-of-mass energies ...ranging from 161 GeV to 208 GeV and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 656.4 pb(-1). The Born cross-section for the process e(+) e(-)-->gammagamma(gamma) was determined, confirming the validity of QED at the highest energies ever attained in electron-positron collisions. Lower limits on the parameters of a number of possible deviations from QED, predicted within theoretical frameworks expressing physics beyond the Standard Model, were derived.
Data from Z decays in DELPHI have been searched for <(B-d(o))over bar> --> D*+ l(-) (ν) over bar (l) with the D*+ decaying to D(0)pi(+) and D-0 --> K(-)pi(+), K(-)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-) or K- pi(+)(pi(0)). ...These events are used to measure the CKM matrix element V-cb and the form factor slope, rho(A1)(2): F-D*(1) V-cb = 0.0392 +/- 0.0018 +/- 0.0023; rho(A1)(2) = 1.32 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.33 corresponding to a branching fraction: BR(<(B-d(0))over bar> --> D(*+)l(-)(ν) over bar (l)) = (5.90 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.50)%. Combining these and previous DELPHI measurements gives: FD*(1)V-cb = 0.0377 +/- 0.0011 +/- 0.0019, rho(A1)(2) = 1.39 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.33 and BR(<(B-d(0))over bar> --> D(*+)l(-)(ν) over bar (l)) = (5.39 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.34)% Using F-D*(1) = 0.91 +/- 0.04, yields: V-cb = 0.0414 +/- 0.0012(stat.) +/- 0.0021(syst.) +/- 0.0018 (theory). The b-quark semileptonic branching fraction into a D*+ emitted from higher mass charmed excited states has also been measured to be: BR(b --> D*+ Xl(-)(ν) over bar (l)) = (0.67 +/- 0.08 +/- 0.10)%.