Abstract
We extract the total width of the top quark, Gamma(t), from the partial decay width Gamma(t -} Wb) measured using the t-channel cross section for single top-quark production and from the branching fraction B(t -} Wb) measured in t (t) over bar t events using up to 2.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 Collaboration at the Tevatron p (p) over bar Collider. The result is Gamma(t) = 1.99(-0.55)(+0.69) GeV, which translates to a top-quark lifetime of tau(t) = (3.3-(+1.3)(0.9)) x 10(-25) s.
Assuming a high mass fourth generation b'' quark and unitarity of the four-generation quark-mixing matrix, we set the first upper limit on vertical bar V(tb'')vertical bar { 0.63 at 95% C.L.