DECAY OF TOP QUARKS IN E(-)-]T(T)OVER-BAR NEAR-THRESHOLD()E()

We discuss the physics involved in the production and decay chain of t op quarks in e(+)e(-) --> t (t) over bar --> bl(+)nu (b) over bar W- n ear the top quark threshold. We elucidate the effects of the final-sta te interactions. Namely, we clarify how the evolution and decay of t i n this process are affected by the chromostatic field generated by the other color charge ((t) over bar or (b) over bar) nearby. Furthermore , we propose and calculate inclusive and exclusive observables in the threshold region. The latter depends only on the decay of free polariz ed top quarks, and thus it can be calculated without knowledge of boun d-state effects or the final-state interactions.