Exclusive interactions in p anti-p collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 TeV

This thesis presents two exclusive production processes in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV, using the Collider Detector Facility at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. An observation of exclusive e{sup +}e{sup -} production through {gamma}{gamma} {yields} e{sup +}e{sup -} is presented, as well as evidence for exclusive production of {gamma}{gamma} through gg {yields} {gamma}{gamma} (via a quark loop). The exclusive e{sup +}e{sup -} production observation is based on 16 candidate events, with a background estimate of 2.1{sub -0.3}{sup +0.7}. Each event has an e{sup +}e{sup -} pair (E{sub T} (e) > 5 GeV, |{eta}(e)| < 2) and nothing else observable in the CDF detector. The measured cross section is 1.6{sub -0.3}{sup +0.5}(stat) {+-} 0.3(sys) pb, while the predicted cross section is 1.711 {+-} 0.008 pb. The kinematic properties of the events are consistent with the predictions of the LPAIR Monte Carlo. The evidence for exclusive {gamma}{gamma} production consists of 3 candidate events, with a background estimate of 0.0{sub -0.0}{sup +0.2} events. Each event has two photons (E{sub T}{gamma}) > 5 GeV, |{eta}({gamma})| < 1 and nothing else observable in the CDF detector. The measured cross section for these events is 0.14{sub -0.04}{sup +0.14}(stat) {+-} (sys) pb. It agrees with the theoretical prediction of 0.04 pb with a factor 3 to 5 theoretical uncertainty