BHAGEN95: a Monte Carlo program for Bhabha scattering at LEP1/SLC and LEP2 energies

Abstract

We present the Monte Carlo program BHAGEN95, for calculating the cross-section of the Bhabha scattering process at LEP1/SLC and LEP2 energies, usable with continuity from small to large-angle configurations. We discuss some improvements in the event generator BHAGEN94, which is now part of the new code. In particular the weak and QCD corrections are implemented up to two loops for the relevant contributions, and the emission of one hard photon is treated exactly. We have included all the radiative corrections which are necessary to obtain, for a typical experimental event selection, a precision of 0.1-0.2% at small-angle. At large-angle we estimate a precision of 0.5%, with the exception of the region where the beam energy is a few GeV above the Z boson resonance, where it is up to 1%. A detailed comparison with other codes for both small-angle and large-angle Bhabha scattering is performed.