The research work will have as its focus measurements of electron-positron (e+e-) collisions at the SLC collider at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, SLAC, using the SLD detector, currently being constructed. SLC is scheduled to begin operation for physics in February 1989 in the new energy domain of 100 GeV. SLC represents a new type of accelerator/collider. SLD is a state of the art plus (very high quality) detector for e+e- collisions in this energy range. The SLD detector is expected to begin taking data at the end of FY90, depending on the progress in commissioning the SLC, and fully exploit the physics potential of the SLC. The field of research is that of experimental elementary particle physics. This research studies the basic building blocks of matter (e.g., electrons, positrons, quarks and Higgs bosons) at very high energies. The experiments use accelerators which provide the highest energy particle collisions produced in the laboratory. The data is collected and analyzed using highly complex and sophisticated apparatus and techniques.
