Search for long-lived charged massive particles in pp collisions at square root s = 1.8 TeV

Area of Science:

• High Energy Physics
• Particle Physics
• Collider Physics

Background:

• The Standard Model of particle physics does not predict the existence of long-lived charged massive particles.
• Searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model are crucial for understanding fundamental interactions.
• Collider experiments provide a unique environment to search for exotic particles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To search for the production of long-lived charged massive particles at the Tevatron.
• To set limits on the production cross section of such hypothetical particles.
• To explore potential signatures of new physics beyond the Standard Model.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of a 90 pb^-1 data sample from square root[s]=1.8 TeV proton-antiproton collisions at the Collider Detector at Fermilab.
• Utilizing a signature based on muonlike penetration and anomalously high ionization energy loss to identify candidate particles.
• Comparison of observed data with expected background processes.

Main Results:

• The observed data are consistent with background expectations.
• No significant excess of events attributable to long-lived charged massive particles was found.
• Cross section limits of the order of 1 picobarn (pb) were derived.

Conclusions:

• The search places constraints on the existence of long-lived charged massive particles.
• The results are interpreted within the framework of two theoretical models: a stable quark and a stable scalar lepton.
• This study contributes to the ongoing effort to discover new fundamental particles and phenomena.