Heavy-quark production by polarized and unpolarized photons in next-to-leading order

Complete analytical results for the production of heavy-quark pairs by polarized and unpolarized photons in next-to-leading order are presented. Two-, three-, and two-plus-three-jet cross sections for a total photon spin ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}$=0,±2 are presented for bb¯(g) production. The two-jet cross sections are considered as a background to γγ→${\mathit{H}}^{\mathrm{*}}$→bb¯ (standard model). Top quark production, not too far above threshold, is also considered for ${\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{z}}$=0,±2. For both b- and t-quark production, the higher order QCD corrections are found to be significant.