Testing the electroweak gauge boson coupling in exclusive photoproduction of single W bosons at the LHC

We investigate the exclusive photoproduction of single W bosons in p–p and p–Pb collisions at the LHC, where the proton is converted into a neutron which proceeds in the forward direction. We calculate the cross section for real photoproduction of single W bosons and fold it with the equivalent photon spectra of ions and protons to yield the cross sections in p–p and p–A collisions. We estimate the rates of events expected in ultraperipheral collisions at the LHC from this process. Moreover, we compare different choices of the (almost unknown) timelike weak form factors and examine how they affect the sensitivity of the total cross section to the triple gauge boson coupling. Furthermore, we include in our calculation the decay of W into a light anti-lepton (e+ or μ+) and the corresponding neutrino and give differential cross sections as a function of the energies, rapidities and transverse momenta of the decay particles. Based on the rate predicted for the p–p case, we conclude that an observation of this process should be possible in the very high-luminosity p–p runs at the LHC.