PRODUCTION OF $B_c$ MESONS IN HADRONIC COLLISIONS

Abstract

We investigate hadroproduction of $B_c$ mesons from initial gluons using QCD perturbation theory and nonrelativistic bound state approximations. Our results obtained by two completely independent calculations are confronted with existing results which contradict each other. Moreover, we examine the approximation based on heavy quark fragmentation and determine the range of validity of it. Predictions for cross sections and differential distributions at Tevatron and LHC energies are presented.

Comments: 10 Latex pages, 6 figures included by epsf.sty