Top squark mass: current limits revisited and new limits from Tevatron Run-I

Abstract

Analyzing the $\ell +n$-$jets+ \met$ (where $n \ge 2 $), data from Run-I of the Tevatron using the Bayesian technique, we obtain model independent limits on the product $\br(\lstop\ra be^{+}ν_e \lspone) \times \br(\lstop^{*}\ra \bar{b}q\bar{q^{\prime}}\lspone)$ for different values of the lighter top squark($\lstop$) mass and the lightest supersymmetric particle($\lspone$) mass. The SUSY signals have been simulated by interfacing the 4-body decay of $\lstop$ at the parton level with the event generator PYTHIA. These limits have been translated into exclusion plots in the $\mlstop$-$\mlspone$ plane, which also turn out to be fairly model independent for fixed values of the BR of the competing loop decay mode $\lstop\ra c \lspone$. Assuming the loop decay BR to be negligible and using the leading order cross section for $\lstoplstop$ pair production, we obtain conservatively $\mlstop \ge $77.0 (74.5) GeV for $\mlspone$=5(15) GeV, while for $\br(\lstop\ra c \lspone)$=20%, the corresponding limits are $\mlstop \ge $68.0 (65.0) GeV. Using the larger next to leading order cross-section stronger limits are obtained. For example, if $\br(\lstop\ra c \lspone)$=20%, $\mlstop \ge $73.0 (72.7) GeV for $\mlspone$=5(15) GeV. Our limits nicely complement the ALEPH bounds which get weaker for low $\mlspone$.