Cross Section for $\mathit{b}$-Jet Production in $\overline{p}\mathit{p}$ Collisions at $\surd \mathit{s}=1.8\mathrm{}\mathit{}\mathit{TeV}$

Bottom-quark production in $\overline{p}p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.8\mathrm{}\mathrm{TeV}$ is studied with $5{\mathrm{pb}}^{-1\mathrm{}}$ of data collected in 1995 by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The differential production cross section for $b$ jets in the central rapidity region ( $|y^b|<1\mathrm{}$) as a function of jet transverse energy is extracted from a muon-tagged jet sample. Within experimental and theoretical uncertainties, D0 results are found to be higher than, but compatible with, next-to-leading-order QCD predictions.