Measurement of the Weak Mixing Angle in Moller Scattering
The weak mixing parameter, sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w}, is one of the fundamental parameters of the Standard Model. Its tree-level value has been measured with high precision at energies near the Z{sup 0} pole; however, due to radiative corrections at the one-loop level, the value of sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w} is expected to change with the interaction energy. As a result, a measurement of sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w} at low energy (Q{sup 2} << m{sub Z}, where Q{sup 2} is the momentum transfer and m{sub Z} is the Z boson mass), provides a test of the Standard Model at the one-loop level, and a probe for new physics beyond the Standard Model. One way of obtaining sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w} at low energy is from measuring the left-right, parity-violating asymmetry in electron-electron (Moeller) scattering: A{sub PV} = {sigma}{sub R}-{sigma}{sub L}/{sigma}{sub R}+{sigma}{sub L}, where {sigma}{sub R} and {sigma}{sub L} are the cross sections for right- and left-handed incident electrons, respectively. The parity violating asymmetry is proportional to the pseudo-scalar weak neutral current coupling in Moeller scattering, g{sub ee}. At tree level g{sub ee} = (1/4 -sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w}). A precision measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in Moeller scattering was performed by Experiment E158 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). During the experiment, {approx}50 GeV longitudinally polarized electrons scattered off unpolarized atomic electrons in a liquid hydrogen target, corresponding to an average momentum transfer Q{sup 2} {approx} 0.03 (GeV/c){sup 2}. The tree-level prediction for A{sub PV} at such energy is {approx}300 ppb. However one-loop radiative corrections reduce its value by {approx}40%. This document reports the E158 results from the 2002 data collection period. The parity-violating asymmetry was found to be A{sub PV} = -160 {+-} 21 (stat.) {+-} 17 (syst.) ppb, which represents the first observation of a parity-violating asymmetry in Moeller scattering. This value corresponds to a weak mixing angle at Q{sup 2} = 0.026 (GeV/c){sup 2} of sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w{ovr MS}} = 0.2379 {+-} 0.0016 (stat.) {+-} 0.0013 (syst.), which is -0.3 standard deviations away from the Standard Model prediction: sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w{ovr MS}}{sup predicted} = 0.2385 {+-} 0.0006 (theory). The E158 measurement of sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w} at a precision of {delta}(sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub w}) = 0.0020 provides new physics sensitivity at the TeV scale.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515
- OSTI ID:
- 839669
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-R-739; TRN: US0503512
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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