A search for physics beyond the standard model in events with at least three leptons is presented. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collisions with center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, was collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC during 2012. The data are divided into exclusive categories based on the number of leptons and their flavor, the presence or absence of an opposite-sign, same-flavor lepton pair (OSSF), the invariant mass of the OSSF pair, the presence or absence of a tagged bottom-quark jet, the number of identified hadronically decaying tau leptons, and the magnitude of the missing transverse energy and of the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta. The numbers of observed events are found to be consistent with the expected numbers from standard model processes, and limits are placed on new-physics scenarios that yield multilepton final states. In particular, scenarios that predict Higgs boson production in the context of supersymmetric decay chains are examined. We also place a 95% confidence level upper limit of 1.3% on the branching fraction for the decay of a top quark to a charm quark and a Higgs boson (t to c H), which translates to a bound on the left- and right-handed top-charm flavor-violating Higgs Yukawa couplings, lambda[H, tc] and lambda[H, ct], respectively, of sqrt(abs(lambda[H, tc])^2 + abs(lambda[H, ct])^2) < 0.21.
Observed - 1sig(theoretical) 95% C.L. exclusion contour for the T1tttt scenario.
A search for supersymmetry in the context of general gauge-mediated (GGM) breaking with the lightest neutralino as the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle and the gravitino as the lightest is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The search is performed using events containing two or more isolated photons, at least one hadronic jet, and significant missing transverse energy. No excess of events at high missing transverse energy is observed. Upper limits on the signal cross section for GGM supersymmetry between 0.3 and 1.1 pb at the 95% confidence level are determined for a range of squark, gluino, and neutralino masses, excluding supersymmetry parameter space that was inaccessible to previous experiments.
95 PCT CL upper limits to cross section and the GGM acceptance as a function of Gluino mass for Squark mass 400 GeV and Neutralino mass 150 GeV.
A search for the supersymmetric partners of the Standard Model bottom and top quarks is presented. The search uses 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Direct production of pairs of bottom and top squarks ($\tilde{b}_{1}$ and $\tilde{t}_{1}$) is searched for in final states with $b$-tagged jets and missing transverse momentum. Distinctive selections are defined with either no charged leptons (electrons or muons) in the final state, or one charged lepton. The zero-lepton selection targets models in which the $\tilde{b}_{1}$ is the lightest squark and decays via $\tilde{b}_{1} \rightarrow b \tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$, where $\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$ is the lightest neutralino. The one-lepton final state targets models where bottom or top squarks are produced and can decay into multiple channels, $\tilde{b}_{1} \rightarrow b \tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$ and $\tilde{b}_{1} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}^{\pm}_{1}$, or $\tilde{t}_{1} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$ and $\tilde{t}_{1} \rightarrow b \tilde{\chi}^{\pm}_{1}$, where $\tilde{\chi}^{\pm}_{1}$ is the lightest chargino and the mass difference $m_{\tilde{\chi}^{\pm}_{1}}- m_{\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}}$ is set to 1 GeV. No excess above the expected Standard Model background is observed. Exclusion limits at 95\% confidence level on the mass of third-generation squarks are derived in various supersymmetry-inspired simplified models.
Observed exclusion limit for b1L-SRA300-2j for sbottom pair production with asymmetric decay into a bottom quark and a neutralino or a top quark and a chargino.
Observed exclusion limit for b1L-SRA300-2j for sbottom pair production with asymmetric decay into a bottom quark and a neutralino or a top quark and a chargino.
A search for squarks and gluinos in final states containing high-$p_{\rm T}$ jets, missing transverse momentum and no electrons or muons is presented. The data were recorded in 2012 by the ATLAS experiment in $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, with a total integrated luminosity of $20.3 \mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Results are interpreted in a variety of simplified and specific supersymmetry-breaking models assuming that R-parity is conserved and that the lightest neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle. An exclusion limit at the 95% confidence level on the mass of the gluino is set at 1330 GeV for a simplified model incorporating only a gluino and the lightest neutralino. For a simplified model involving the strong production of first- and second-generation squarks, squark masses below 850 GeV (440 GeV) are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino, assuming mass degenerate (single light-flavour) squarks. In mSUGRA/CMSSM models with $\tan\beta=30$, $A_0=-2m_0$ and $\mu> 0$, squarks and gluinos of equal mass are excluded for masses below 1700 GeV. Additional limits are set for non-universal Higgs mass models with gaugino mediation and for simplified models involving the pair production of gluinos, each decaying to a top squark and a top quark, with the top squark decaying to a charm quark and a neutralino. These limits extend the region of supersymmetric parameter space excluded by previous searches with the ATLAS detector.
Observed limit 95% CL -1 sigma.
This paper reviews and extends searches for the direct pair production of the scalar supersymmetric partners of the top and bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS collaboration during the LHC Run 1. Most of the analyses use 20 fb$^{-1}$ of collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV, although in some case an additional 4.7 fb$^{-1}$ of collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV are used. New analyses are introduced to improve the sensitivity to specific regions of the model parameter space. Since no evidence of third-generation squarks is found, exclusion limits are derived by combining several analyses and are presented in both a simplified model framework, assuming simple decay chains, as well as within the context of more elaborate phenomenological supersymmetric models.
Exclusion limits as a function of the stop2 branching ratio for decays into Z, Higgs and neutralino. m(t2)=350 GeV and m(chi1)=20 GeV (top plot). This table is for the t1L/t0L expected limit. - t2t1Z observed limit hepdata.cedar.ac.uk/view/ins1286622/d14 - t2t1Z expected limit hepdata.cedar.ac.uk/view/ins1286622/d15.
A search is presented for photonic signatures motivated by generalised models of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. This search makes use of $20.3{\rm fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC, and explores models dominated by both strong and electroweak production of supersymmetric partner states. Four experimental signatures incorporating an isolated photon and significant missing transverse momentum are explored. These signatures include events with an additional photon, lepton, $b$-quark jet, or jet activity not associated with any specific underlying quark flavor. No significant excess of events is observed above the Standard Model prediction and model-dependent 95% confidence-level exclusion limits are set.
$\rm{SR}^{\gamma b}_{L}$ signal acceptance*efficiency for combined strong and weak production across the $\mu<0$ higgsino-bino parameter space.
Results of a search for physics beyond the Standard Model in events containing an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. As the number of events observed in data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 $\textrm fb^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, is in agreement with the Standard Model expectations, exclusion limits in models where dark-matter candidates are pair-produced are determined. For dark-matter production via an axial-vector or a vector mediator in the s-channel, this search excludes mediator masses below 750-1200 GeV for dark-matter candidate masses below 230-480 GeV at 95% confidence level, depending on the couplings. In an effective theory of dark-matter production, the limits restrict the value of the suppression scale $M_{*}$ to be above 790 GeV at 95% confidence level. A limit is also reported on the production of a high-mass scalar resonance by processes beyond the Standard Model, in which the resonance decays to $Z\gamma$ and the Z boson subsequently decays into neutrinos.
Acceptance, in %, for a simplified model of dark matter production involving an axial-vector operator, Dirac DM and couplings $g_{q}$= 0.25 and $g_{\chi}$ = 1 for various $m_{\chi}$ and $m_{\textrm{med}}$ values. It is constant as a function of $m_{\chi}$ for a fixed $m_{\textrm{med}}$ in the region $m_{\textrm{med}}>2m_{\chi}$.
A search for long-lived, massive particles predicted by many theories beyond the Standard Model is presented. The search targets final states with large missing transverse momentum and at least one high-mass displaced vertex with five or more tracks, and uses 32.8 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV $pp$ collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observed yield is consistent with the expected background. The results are used to extract 95\% CL exclusion limits on the production of long-lived gluinos with masses up to 2.37 TeV and lifetimes of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-2})$-$\mathcal{O}(10)$ ns in a simplified model inspired by Split Supersymmetry.
Parameterized event selection efficiencies as a function of truth MET for events which have all truth decay vertices occurring before the start of the ATLAS calorimeter. Event-level efficiencies are evaluated for events that have truth MET $> 200$ GeV, pass the trackless jet requirement, and have at least one displaced truth decay within the fiducial volume. To satisfy the event-level efficiency, events must then pass the full event selection.
Parameterized vertex level efficiencies as a function of number of particles associated to a truth decay vertex, and the vertex invariant mass for truth decays with $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 22$ mm. Selected particles are required to have nonzero electric charge, $p_{T}(|Q|=1) > 1$ GeV, and $d_0 > 2$ mm. The per-vertex efficiency is evaluated only for truth vertices that have at least 5 associated tracks, an invariant mass $> 10$ GeV, and are in the region $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 300$ mm, and $|Z_{\mathrm{decay}}| < 300$ mm. A truth vertex satisfies the vertex level efficiency if it can be matched to a reconstructed DV which passes the final vertex selection.
Parameterized vertex level efficiencies as a function of number of particles associated to a truth decay vertex, and the vertex invariant mass for truth decays with $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 22$ mm. Selected particles are required to have nonzero electric charge, $p_{T}(|Q|=1) > 1$ GeV, and $d_0 > 2$ mm. The per-vertex efficiency is evaluated only for truth vertices that have at least 5 associated tracks, an invariant mass $> 10$ GeV, and are in the region $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 300$ mm, and $|Z_{\mathrm{decay}}| < 300$ mm. A truth vertex satisfies the vertex level efficiency if it can be matched to a reconstructed DV which passes the final vertex selection.
Results of a search for the electroweak associated production of charginos and next-to-lightest neutralinos, pairs of charginos or pairs of tau sleptons are presented. These processes are characterised by final states with at least two hadronically decaying tau leptons, missing transverse momentum and low jet activity. The analysis is based on an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess is observed with respect to the predictions from Standard Model processes. Limits are set at 95% confidence level on the masses of the lighter chargino and next-to-lightest neutralino for various hypotheses for the lightest neutralino mass in simplified models. In the scenario of direct production of chargino pairs, with each chargino decaying into the lightest neutralino via an intermediate tau slepton, chargino masses up to 345 GeV are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino. For associated production of mass-degenerate charginos and next-to-lightest neutralinos, both decaying into the lightest neutralino via an intermediate tau slepton, masses up to 410 GeV are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino.
Upper limits on the cross section for production of only left-handed stau pairs.
A search is presented for direct top-squark pair production in final states with two leptons (electrons or muons) of opposite charge using 20.3fb-1 of pp collision data at sqrt(s)=8TeV, collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. No excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. The results are interpreted under the separate assumptions (i) that the top squark decays to a b-quark in addition to an on-shell chargino whose decay occurs via a real or virtual W boson, or (ii) that the top squark decays to a t-quark and the lightest neutralino. A top squark with a mass between 150 GeV and 445 GeV decaying to a b-quark and an on-shell chargino is excluded at 95% confidence level for a top squark mass equal to the chargino mass plus 10 GeV, in the case of a 1 GeV lightest neutralino. Top squarks with masses between 215 (90) GeV and 530 (170) GeV decaying to an on-shell (off-shell) t-quark and a neutralino are excluded at 95% confidence level for a 1 GeV neutralino.
Observed 95% CL exclusion contour in the (STOP1, NEUTRALINO1) mass plane.
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