Exclusion bounds for neutral gauge bosons

Abstract

We study how the recent experimental results constrain the gauge sectors of U(1) extensions of the standard model using a novel representation of the parameter space. We determine the bounds on the mixing angle between the massive gauge bosons, or equivalently, the new gauge coupling as a function of the mass $M_{Z'}$ of the new neutral gauge boson $Z'$ in the approximate range $(10^{-2},10^4)\,$GeV/$c^2$. We consider the most stringent bounds obtained from direct searches for the $Z'$. We also exhibit the allowed parameter space by comparing the predicted and measured values of the $\rho$ parameter and those of the mass of the $W$ boson. Finally, we discuss the prospects of $Z'$ searches at future colliders.