Weak neutral currents and photoproduction of lepton pairs

Abstract

We have explored the consequences of weak neutral currents in the photoproduction of lepton pairs at high energies. Specifically, we have calculated the effects of the parity nonconserving interference between the weak amplitude and the purely electromagnetic Bethe-Heitler amplitude. This interference contributes to an asymmetry between the lepton pairs and, in addition, the leptons acquire a longitudinal polarization. Numerical results are presented for the Weinberg-Salam model and are typically a few percent in magnitude.