Search for a New Gauge Boson in Electron-Nucleus Fixed-Target Scattering by the APEX Experiment

Collaboration
Aug, 2011
5 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.Lett. 107 (2011) 191804
e-Print:
Report number:
  • JLAB-PHY-11-1406,
  • SLAC-PUB-14491

Citations per year

20112015201920232025010203040
Abstract: (arXiv)
We present a search at Jefferson Laboratory for new forces mediated by sub-GeV vector bosons with weak coupling α\alpha' to electrons. Such a particle AA' can be produced in electron-nucleus fixed-target scattering and then decay to an e+ee^+e^- pair, producing a narrow resonance in the QED trident spectrum. Using APEX test run data, we searched in the mass range 175--250 MeV, found no evidence for an Ae+eA'\to e^+e^- reaction, and set an upper limit of α/α106\alpha'/\alpha \simeq 10^{-6}. Our findings demonstrate that fixed-target searches can explore a new, wide, and important range of masses and couplings for sub-GeV forces.
Note:
  • 5 pages, 5 figures, references added
  • 14.70.Pw
  • 25.30.Rw
  • quantum electrodynamics
  • narrow resonance
  • electron: pair production
  • vector boson: weak coupling
  • gauge boson: search for
  • electron nucleus: interaction
  • tantalum
  • vector boson: electroproduction