Contact interactions and polarized beams at a linear collider

Abstract

We discuss contact-interaction searches in the processes $e^+e^-\to \mu^+\mu^-$, $b\bar{b}$ and $c\bar{c}$ at an $e^+e^-$ Linear Collider with c.m. energy $\sqrt{s}=0.5$ TeV and with longitudinally polarized beams. The measurement of polarized cross sections allows to study the individual helicity cross sections, and consequently to derive separate, model-independent, constraints on the four-fermion contact interaction couplings. We evaluate the reach on those parameters foreseeable in the case of both electron and positron polarization fixed at some reference values, and compare it with the situation where only electron polarization is available. The analysis is based on polarized integrated cross sections with optimal kinematical cuts that can improve the sensitivity to the relevant couplings. While electron polarization would by itself allow such an analysis, the additional positron polarization (with no loss of beam intensity) and optimization can have a crucial role in improving the sensitivity to the new interactions