We present a direct measurement of the parity-violation parameter $A_c$ in the coupling of the $Z^0$ to $c$-quarks with the SLD detector. The measurement is based on a sample of 530k hadronic $Z^0$ decays, produced with a mean electron-beam polarization of $|P_e| = 73 %$. The tagging of $c$-quark events is performed using two methods: the exclusive reconstruction of $D^{\ast+}$, $D^+$, and $D^0$ mesons, and the soft-pions ($\pi_s$) produced in the decay of $D^{\ast+}\to D^0 \pi_s^+$. The large background from $D$ mesons produced in $B$ hadron decays is separated efficiently from the signal using precision vertex information. The combination of these two methods yields $A_c = 0.688 \pm 0.041.$
CONST(NAME=A_C) is connected with the forward-backward asymmetry by following way: ASYM(NAME=FB) = ABS(P_e)*CONST(NAME=A_C)*2z/(1 + z**2), where z = cos(theta), theta is the polar angle of the outgoing fermion relative to the incident electron, P_e is the longitudinal polarization of the electron beam. Two values for constant A_c were obtained using two different c-quark tagging methods: exclusive charmed-meson reconstruction (C=EXCLUSIVE) and inclusive soft-pion analysis (C=SOFT_PIONS).
We have studied 419 τ pair events produced in the reactione+e−→τ+ τ− at a c.m. energy of 34.6 GeV. We measure the cross section and angular distribution, as well as the decay branching ratios. The production characteristics are consistent with the Standard Electroweak Model predictions of γ andZ0 interference. The branching ratios are generally consistent with the τ decaying according to standard weak interaction principles, but we observe somewhat more decays resulting in single charged hadrons plus neutrals than are predicted by present theory.
Asymmetry based on fits to angular distribution.