We report on measurements of inclusive cross sections times branching fractions into electrons for W and Z bosons produced in ppbar collisions at sqrts=1.8 TeV.From an integrated luminosity of 84.5 inverse pb recorded in 1994--1995 using the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, we determine sigma(ppbar->W+X)B(W->e nu) = 2310 +- 10(stat) +- 50(syst) +- 100(lum) pb and sigma(ppbar->Z+X)B(Z->e e) = 221 +- 3(stat) +- 4(syst) +- 10(lum) pb. From these, we derive their Ratio R = 10.43 +- 0.15(stat) +- 0.20(syst) +- 0.10(NLO), B(W->e nu) = 0.1066 +- 0.0015(stat) +- 0.0021(syst) +- 0.0011(theory)+- 0.0011(NLO), and Gamma_W = 2.130 +- 0.030(stat) +- 0.041(syst) +- 0.022(theory) +- 0.021(NLO) GeV. We use the latter to set a 95% confidence level upper limit on the partial decay width of the W boson into non-standard model final states, Gamma_W^{inv}, of 0.168 GeV. Combining these results with those from the 1992--1993 data gives R = 10.54 +- 0.24, Gamma_W = 2.107 +- 0.054 GeV, and a 95% C.L. upper limit on Gamma_W^{inv} of 0.132 GeV. Using a sample with a luminosity of 505 inverse nb taken at sqrts=630 GeV, we measure sigma(ppbar->W+X)B(W->e nu) = 658 +- 67 pb.
Cross sections times branching ratios for W+- and Z0 production. The second DSYS error is due to the uncertainty in the luminosity.
Ratio of W to Z0 cross sections. The second systematic error is due to the uncertainty in the NLO electroweak radiative corrections.
We report on a measurement of the ratio of the differential cross sections for W and Z boson production as a function of transverse momentum in proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. This measurement uses data recorded by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron in 1994-1995. It represents the first investigation of a proposal that ratios between W and Z observables can be calculated reliably using perturbative QCD, even when the individual observables are not. Using the ratio of differential cross sections reduces both experimental and theoretical uncertainties, and can therefore provide smaller overall uncertainties in the measured mass and width of the W boson than current methods used at hadron colliders.
The measured W and Z0 cross sections used to compute the ratio.
The measured ratios of W+-/Z0 cross sections, corrected for the branching ratios BR(W-->e-nue)=0.1073+-0.0025 and BR(Z0-->E+E-)=0.033632+-0.000059 (PDG 2000). The error given is the total error, but note that the 4.3pct error in the luminosity cancels completely in the ratio.