ZFITTER -- An Analytical Program for Fermion Pair Production in e+e- Annihilation

Abstract

We describe how to use ZFITTER, a program based on a semi-analytical approach to fermion pair production in e+e- annihilation and Bhabha scattering. A flexible treatment of complete $\mathcal{O}(\alpha )$ QED corrections, also including higher orders, allows for three calculational {\bf chains} with different realistic sets of restrictions in the photon phase space. {\tt ZFITTER} consists of several {\bf branches} with varying assumptions on the underlying hard scattering process. One includes complete $\mathcal{O}(\alpha )$ weak loop corrections with a resummation of leading higher-order terms. Alternatively, an ansatz inspired from S-matrix theory, or several model-independent effective Born cross sections may be convoluted. The program calculates cross sections, forward-backward asymmetries, and for $\tau$~pair production also the final-state polarization. Various {\bf interfaces} allow fits to be performed with different sets of free parameters.

Comments: 76 pages (LaTeX), 19 figures, 12 tables, files containing the LaTeX text and the figures are available via anonymous ftp at ftp://ftp.ifh.de/pub/preprint/cernth92-6443.uu and the ps file from http://www.ifh.de/~riemann/ New submission for inclusion of figures. No changes of the paper