We present measurements of the B+ meson total cross section and differential cross section $d\sigma/ dp_T$. The measurements use a $98\pm 4$ pb^{-1} sample of $p \bar p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8$ TeV collected by the CDF detector. Charged $B$ meson candidates are reconstructed through the decay $B^{\pm} \to J/\psi K^{\pm}$ with $J/\psi\to \mu^+ \mu^-$. The total cross section, measured in the central rapidity region $|y|<1.0$ for $p_T(B)>6.0$ GeV/$c$, is $3.6 \pm 0.6 ({\rm stat} \oplus {\rm syst)} \mu$b. The measured differential cross section is substantially larger than typical QCD predictions calculated to next-to-leading order.
Measured differential cross section for B+ production. The first (DSYS) error is the PT dependent systematic error and the second is the full correlated systematic error.
The total integrated B+ meson cross section. The first error is the combined statistical and PT dependent systematic error. The DSYS error is the fully correlated systematic error.
This paper presents the first direct measurement of the $B$ meson differential cross section, $d\sigma/dp_T$, in $p\overline{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8$ TeV using a sample of $19.3 \pm 0.7$ pb$~{-1}$ accumulated by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF). The cross section is measured in the central rapidity region $|y| < 1$ for $p_T(B) > 6.0$ GeV/$c$ by fully reconstructing the $B$ meson decays $B~{+}\rightarrow J/\psi K~{+}$ and $B~{0}\rightarrow J/\psi K~{*0}(892)$, where $J/\psi \rightarrow \mu~+\mu~-$ and $K~{*0} \rightarrow K~+ \pi~-$. A comparison is made to the theoretical QCD prediction calculated at next-to-leading order.
Charged B meson cross section.
Average B meson cross section (including charged and neutral).
Total integrated B meson cross section above 6 GeV.