Measurements of the W and Z Inclusive Cross Sections and Determination of the W Decay Width

Abstract

Recent results on the production of $W$ and $Z$ gauge bosons in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8$~TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider from the \D0 and CDF experiments are reviewed. Measurements of the inclusive cross sections times leptonic branching ratios in both the electron and muon decay channels are summarized and compared to QCD predictions. Using the ratio $R = {\sigma_W \cdot B(W\rightarrow l\nu)}/ {\sigma_Z \cdot B(Z\rightarrow ll)}$ and assuming standard model couplings, an indirect determination of the W decay width is obtained. By comparing this measured value with the predicted value for the $W$ width, a limit on the deviation from the standard model is obtained.