Heavy-Quark Production in $eγ$ Scattering

Abstract

Open heavy flavour production at $e^+e^-$ colliders in deeply inelastic $eγ$ scattering has an interesting feature: the structure function $F_2(x,Q^2)$ for this process is calculable for $x>0.01$, and is essentially proportional to the gluon density in the photon for smaller $x$ values. We give estimates for event rates at LEP2 and a Next Linear Collider in $x,Q^2$ bins, and present differential distributions in the transverse momentum and rapidity of the heavy quark for the case of charm. We include all next-to-leading-order QCD corrections, and find theoretical uncertainties are well under control.