CP VIOLATION IN THE TOP-QUARK SYSTEM THROUGH LIGHT SQUARKS

We study a decay rate asymmetry of the top quark in the supersymmetric standard model, taking into account the constraints from the electric dipole moments of the neutron and the electron. One CP-violating phas e contained in the mass-squared matrices of squarks and sleptons is al lowed to have an unsuppressed value, even if their masses are of order 100 GeV, Sizable CP violation could then occur in the production and decay of the top quark through interactions with top squarks. The asym metry between the widths for the decays t --> bW(+) and (t) over tilde --> (b) over bar W- can be of order 10(-3), which will possibly be de tectable in the near future. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.