Sneha Malde

Abstract:

We report a measurement of the top-quark mass, Mt, in the dilepton decay channel of tt̄→b ′+ν ′b̄ -ν̄ using an integrated luminosity of 1.0fb-1 of pp̄ collisions collected with the CDF II detector. We apply a method that convolutes a leading-order matrix element with detector resolution functions to form event-by-event likelihoods; we have enhanced the leading-order description to describe the effects of initial-state radiation. The joint likelihood is the product of the likelihoods from 78 candidate events in this sample, which yields a measurement of Mt=164.5±3.9(stat.)±3.9(syst.)GeV/c2, the most precise measurement of Mt in the dilepton channel. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

We report an upper limit on the fraction of V+A current, fV+A, in top-quark decays, using approximately 700pb-1 of pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV acquired by the upgraded Collider Detector at Fermilab. For the decay t→Wb→ νb (where =e or μ), the invariant mass of the charged lepton and the bottom quark jet is sensitive to the polarization of the W boson. We determine fV+A=-0.06±0.25 given a top-quark mass of 175GeV/c2. We set an upper limit on fV+A of 0.29 at the 95% confidence level, an improvement by a factor of 2 on the previous best direct limit. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

Using 355 pb;{-1} of data collected by the CDF II detector in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron, we study the fully reconstructed hadronic decays B_{(s)};{0}-->D_{(s)};{-}pi;{+} and B_{(s)};{0}-->D_{(s)};{-}pi;{+}pi;{+}pi;{-}. We present the first measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s};{-}pi;{+}pi;{+}pi;{-})/B(B;{0}-->D;{-}pi;{+}pi;{+}pi;{-})=1.05+/-0.10(stat)+/-0.22(syst). We also update our measurement of B(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s};{-}pi;{+})/B(B;{0}-->D;{-}pi;{+}) to 1.13+/-0.08(stat)+/-0.23(syst), improving the statistical uncertainty by more than a factor of 2. We find B(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s};{-}pi;{+})=[3.8+/-0.3(stat)+/-1.3(syst)]x10;{-3} and B(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s};{-}pi;{+}pi;{+}pi;{-})=[8.4+/-0.8(stat)+/-3.2(syst)]x10;{-3}.

Abstract:

A search for a manifestly exotic S=-2 baryon state decaying to Ξ-π-, and its neutral partner decaying to Ξ-π+, has been performed using 220pb-1 of pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. The Ξ- trajectories were measured in a silicon tracker before their decay, resulting in a sample with low background and excellent position resolution. No evidence was found for S=-2 pentaquark candidates in the invariant mass range of 1600-2100MeV/c2. Upper limits on the product of pentaquark production cross section times its branching fraction to Ξ-π+,-, relative to the cross section of the well-established Ξ(1530) resonance, are presented for neutral and doubly negative candidates with pT>2GeV/c and |y|<1 as a function of pentaquark mass. At 1862MeV/c2, these upper limits for neutral and doubly negative final states were found to be 3.2% and 1.7% at the 90% confidence level, respectively. © 2007 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

Using 355pb-1 of data collected by the CDF II detector in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron, we study the fully reconstructed hadronic decays B(s)0→D(s)-π+ and B(s)0→D(s)- π+π+π-. We present the first measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(Bs0→Ds-π+π+π-)/B(B0→D-π+π+π-)=1. 05±0.10(stat)±0.22(syst). We also update our measurement of B(Bs0→Ds-π+)/B(B0→D-π+) to 1.13±0.08(stat)±0. 23(syst), improving the statistical uncertainty by more than a factor of 2. We find B(Bs0→Ds-π+)=[3.8±0.3(stat)±1.3(syst)]×10-3 and B(Bs0→Ds-π+π+π-)=[8.4±0.8(stat)±3.2(syst)] ×10-3. © 2007 The American Physical Society.