Combination of searches for singly produced vector-like top quarks in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 111 (2025) 012012, 2025.
Inspire Record 2818839 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.153640

A combination of searches for the single production of vector-like top quarks ($T$) is presented. These analyses are based on proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded in 2015$-$2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The $T$-quark decay modes considered in this combination are into a top quark and either a Standard Model Higgs boson or a $Z$ boson ($T \to Ht$ and $T \to Zt$). The individual searches used in the combination are differentiated by the number of leptons ($e$, $\mu$) in the final state. The observed data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model background prediction. Interpretations are provided for a range of masses and couplings of the vector-like top quark for benchmark models and generalized representations in terms of 95% confidence level limits. For a benchmark signal prediction of a vector-like top quark SU2 singlet with electroweak coupling, $\kappa$, of 0.5, masses below 2.1 TeV are excluded, resulting in the most restrictive limits to date.

52 data tables

Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the total cross-section σ($pp$ → $T$ → $Ht/Zt$) as a function of $T$-quark mass in the SU(2) singlet representation assuming $\kappa$=0.3. The expected limits for the individual analyses are shown. The $HtZt$ analysis is only included in the limit calculation for $m_{\mathrm{T}}$ < 2.1 TeV.

Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the total cross-section σ($pp$ → $T$ → $Ht/Zt$) as a function of $T$-quark mass in the SU(2) singlet representation assuming $\kappa$=0.5. The expected limits for the individual analyses are shown. The $HtZt$ analysis is only included in the limit calculation for $m_{\mathrm{T}}$ < 2.1 TeV.

Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the total cross-section σ($pp$ → $T$ → $Ht/Zt$) as a function of $T$-quark mass in the SU(2) doublet representation assuming $\kappa$=0.3. The expected limits for the individual analyses are shown. The $HtZt$ analysis is only included in the limit calculation for $m_{\mathrm{T}}$ < 2.1 TeV.

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Version 2
Search for pair-production of vector-like quarks in $pp$ collision events at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with at least one leptonically decaying $Z$ boson and a third-generation quark with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abbott, Dale ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 843 (2023) 138019, 2023.
Inspire Record 2172216 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.134010

A search for the pair-production of vector-like quarks optimized for decays into a $Z$ boson and a third-generation Standard Model quark is presented, using the full Run 2 dataset corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, collected in 2015-2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The targeted final state is characterized by the presence of a $Z$ boson with high transverse momentum, reconstructed from a pair of same-flavour leptons with opposite-sign charges, as well as by the presence of $b$-tagged jets and high-transverse-momentum large-radius jets reconstructed from calibrated smaller-radius jets. Events with exactly two or at least three leptons are used, which are further categorized by the presence of boosted $W$, $Z$, and Higgs bosons and top quarks. The categorization is performed using a neural-network-based boosted object tagger to enhance the sensitivity to signal relative to the background. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed and exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on the masses of the vector-like partners $T$ and $B$ of the top and bottom quarks, respectively. In the singlet model, the limits allow $m_T > 1.27$ TeV and $m_B > 1.20$ TeV. In the doublet model, allowed masses are $m_T > 1.46$ TeV and $m_B >1.32$ TeV. In the case of 100% branching ratio for $T\rightarrow Zt$ and 100% branching ratio for $B\rightarrow Zb$, the limits allow $m_T > 1.60$ TeV and $m_B > 1.42$ TeV, respectively.

20 data tables

Expected and observed lower limits on B masses at 95% CL in the BR plane from the combination of the two analysis channels for all BR configurations when assuming a total BR of 100% for H, W and Z.

Expected and observed lower limits on T masses at 95% CL in the BR plane from the combination of the two analysis channels for all BR configurations when assuming a total BR of 100% for H, W and Z.

Expected and observed combined limits at 95% CL on the production cross-section of vector-like T for 100% $T\rightarrow Zt$.

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Version 2
Search for vector-like quarks in events with two oppositely charged leptons and jets in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV

The CMS collaboration Sirunyan, Albert M ; Tumasyan, Armen ; Adam, Wolfgang ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 79 (2019) 364, 2019.
Inspire Record 1711260 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.85746

A search for the pair production of heavy vector-like partners T and B of the top and bottom quarks has been performed by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC using proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The data sample was collected in 2016 and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. Final states studied for $\mathrm{T\overline{T}}$ production include those where one of the T quarks decays via T $\to$ tZ and the other via T $\to$ bW, tZ, or tH, where H is a Higgs boson. For the $\mathrm{B\overline{B}}$ case, final states include those where one of the B quarks decays via B $\to$ bZ and the other B $\to$ tW, bZ, or bH. Events with two oppositely charged electrons or muons, consistent with coming from the decay of a Z boson, and jets are investigated. The number of observed events is consistent with standard model background estimations. Lower limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the masses of the T and B quarks for a range of branching fractions. Assuming 100% branching fractions for T $\to$ tZ, and B $\to$ bZ, T and B quark mass values below 1280 and 1130 GeV, respectively, are excluded.

19 data tables

The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group A before fitting.

The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group B before fitting.

The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group C before fitting.

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Search for pair production of heavy vector-like quarks decaying to high-$p_{mathrm{T}}$ $W$ bosons and $b$ quarks in the lepton-plus-jets final state in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aaboud, M. ; Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Brad ; et al.
JHEP 10 (2017) 141, 2017.
Inspire Record 1609451 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.77271

A search is presented for the pair production of heavy vector-like $T$ and $B$ quarks, primarily targeting the $T$ quark decays to a $W$ boson and a $b$-quark. The search is based on $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data are analysed in the lepton-plus-jets final state, including at least one $b$-tagged jet and a large-radius jet identified as originating from the hadronic decay of a high-momentum $W$ boson. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed in the reconstructed $T$ mass distribution. The observed 95% confidence level lower limit on the $T$ mass are 1350 GeV assuming 100% branching ratio to $Wb$. In the SU(2) singlet scenario, the lower mass limit is 1170 GeV. This search is also sensitive to a heavy vector-like $B$ quark decaying to $Wt$ and other final states. The results are thus reinterpreted to provide a 95% confidence level lower limit on the $B$ quark mass at 1250 GeV assuming 100% branching ratio to $Wt$; in the SU(2) singlet scenario, the limit is 1080 GeV. Mass limits on both $T$ and $B$ production are also set as a function of the decay branching ratios. The 100% branching ratio limits are found to be applicable to heavy vector-like $Y$ and $X$ production that decay to $Wb$ and $Wt$, respectively.

7 data tables

The leptonic VLQ candidate mass distributions in the signal region after the maximum likelihood fit in the signal region and control region.

Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the TT cross section as a function of T quark mass under the assumption of BR(T->Wb)=1.

Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the TT cross section as a function of T quark mass for an SU(2) singlet T.

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