Search for the Process <span class="aps-inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow><mo>+</mo><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow><mo>→</mo><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow><mo>+</mo><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span>

W. C. Barber; B. Gittelman; D. C. Cheng; G. K. O'Neill

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.902

Search for the Process $e^{-} + e^{-} \to μ^{-} + μ^{-}$

W. C. Barber, B. Gittelman, D. C. Cheng, and G. K. O'Neill

Phys. Rev. Lett. 22, 902 – Published 28 April 1969

Abstract

Speculating on the possible existence of a strong muon-electron coupling which has escaped observation because of a multiplicative muon conservation law, we have looked for the process $e^{-} + e^{-} \to μ^{-} + μ^{-}$ . We set an upper limit on the cross section of 0.67 × $10^{- 32}$ ${cm}^{2}$ and conclude that such a coupling, if it exists, is no stronger than 610 times the normal vector coupling of weak interactions.

Received 17 March 1969

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.902

Authors & Affiliations

W. C. Barber^*

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

B. Gittelman^†

Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305

D. C. Cheng and G. K. O'Neill^‡

Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540

^*Work supported by U. S. Atomic Energy Commission under Contract No. AT(30-1)-2098.
^†Work supported by U. S. Atomic Energy Commission under Contract No. AT(04-3)-515.
^‡Work supported by Office of Naval Research, U. S. Navy under Contract No. NONR-1858(39).