A precise measurement of the partial decay width ratio R-b(0) = Gamma(b(b)over-bar)/Gamma(had)

The partial decay width of the Z to b (b) over bar quark pairs has been measured by the DELPHI detector at LEP using data taken in the years 1992 to 1995. Decays of b-hadrons were tagged by several methods using tracks with large impact parameters and/or reconstructed secondary vertices; complemented by event shape variables. Combining these methods in a multivariate analysis the value Gamma(Z --> b (b) over bar)/Gamma(Z --> had) = 0.21634 +/- 0.00067(stat) +/- 0.00060(syst) was obtained, where the c (c) over bar production fraction was fixed to its Standard Model value.