Large-angle Bhabha scattering and luminosity at Daphne

The accurate knowledge of luminosity at e^+ e^- flavour factories requires the precision calculation of the Bhabha cross section at large scattering angles. In order to achieve a theoretical accuracy at the 0.1% level, the relevant effect of QED radiative corrections is taken into account in the framework of the Parton Shower method, which allows exclusive event generation. On this scheme, a Monte Carlo event generator (BABAYAGA) is developed for data analysis. To test the reliability of the approach, a benchmark calculation, including exact O(alpha) corrections and higher-order leading logarithmic contributions, is developed as well, implemented in a Monte Carlo integrator (LABSPV) and compared in detail with the BABAYAGA predictions. The effect of initial-state and final-state radiation, O(alpha) next-to-leading and higher-order leading corrections is investigated and discussed in the presence of realistic event selections. The theoretical precision of BABAYAGA is estimated to be at the 0.5% level.