Searching for Invisible and Almost Invisible Particles at e^+e^- Colliders

Abstract

We explore the techniques, cross sections and expected signal significance for detecting invisible and almost invisible particles at LEP2 and the NLC by means of a hard photon tag. Examples from supersymmetry include the lightest chargino and second lightest neutralino when their masses are nearly the same as that of the lightest neutralino (the LSP), and invisibly decaying sneutrinos. The importance of particular features of the detectors is discussed, instrumentation for vetoing a fast e^+ or e^- in the beam hole being especially crucial.

11 pages, 2 figures, latex, corrections (as outlined in recent Addendum [hep-ph/9902309]) to the treatment of the decay of the lightest chargino to the lightest neutralino, when they are closely degenerate in mass, are implemented, and the associated minor changes in phenomenology are incorporated