A search for charged-lepton-flavour violating $\mu\tau qt$ ($q=u,c$) interactions is presented, considering both top-quark production and decay. The data analysed correspond to 140 $\textrm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}= $13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets events containing two muons with the same electric charge, a hadronically decaying $\tau$-lepton and at least one jet, with exactly one $b$-tagged jet, produced by a $\mu\tau qt$ interaction. Agreement with the Standard Model expectation within $1.6\sigma$ is observed, and limits are set at the 95% CL on the charged-lepton-flavour violation branching ratio of $\mathcal{B}(t \to \mu\tau q) < 8.7 \times 10^{-7}$. An Effective Field Theory interpretation is performed yielding 95% CL limits on Wilson coefficients, dependent on the flavour of the associated light quark and the Lorentz structure of the coupling. These range from $|c_{\mathsf{lequ}}^{3(2313)}| / \Lambda^{2} < 0.10\textrm{ TeV}^{-2}$ for $\mu\tau ut$ to $|c_{\mathsf{ lequ}}^{1(2323)}| / \Lambda^{2} < 1.8\textrm{ TeV}^{-2}$ for $\mu\tau ct$. An additional interpretation is performed for scalar leptoquark production inducing charged lepton flavour violation, with fixed inter-generational couplings. Upper limits on leptoquark coupling strengths are set at the 95% CL, ranging from $\lambda^{\textrm{LQ}} = $1.3 to $\lambda^{\textrm{LQ}} = $3.7 for leptoquark masses between 0.5 and 2.0 TeV.
Observed event yields in $\textrm{CR}t\bar{t}\mu$ compared with pre-fit expectations from Monte Carlo simulations, as a function of the scalar sum of lepton and jet transverse momenta, $H_{\mathrm{T}}$. The last bin includes overflow events. `Signal (prod.)' and `Signal (dec.)' refer to the single-top-quark production and top-quark pair decay signal contributions, respectively. The pre-fit signal yield represents all Wilson coefficients set to 0.1 simultaneously for a new physics scale of $\Lambda=1$ TeV.
Observed event yields in $\textrm{CR}t\bar{t}\mu$ compared with post-fit expectations from Monte Carlo simulations, as a function of the scalar sum of lepton and jet transverse momenta, $H_{\mathrm{T}}$. The last bin includes overflow events. `Signal (prod.)' and `Signal (dec.)' refer to the single-top-quark production and top-quark pair decay signal contributions, respectively.
Observed event yields in $\textrm{SR}$ compared with pre-fit expectations from Monte Carlo simulations, as a function of the scalar sum of lepton and jet transverse momenta, $H_{\mathrm{T}}$. The last bin includes overflow events. `Signal (prod.)' and `Signal (dec.)' refer to the single-top-quark production and top-quark pair decay signal contributions, respectively. The pre-fit signal yield represents all Wilson coefficients set to 0.1 simultaneously for a new physics scale of $\Lambda=1$ TeV.
The production of single top quarks and top antiquarks via the $t$-channel exchange of a virtual $W$ boson is measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC using $140\,\mathrm{fb^{-1}}$ of ATLAS data. The total cross-sections are determined to be $\sigma(tq)=137^{+8}_{-8}\,\mathrm{pb}$ and $\sigma(\bar{t}q)=84^{+6}_{-5}\,\mathrm{pb}$ for top-quark and top-antiquark production, respectively. The combined cross-section is found to be $\sigma(tq+\bar{t}q)=221^{+13}_{-13}\,\mathrm{pb}$ and the cross-section ratio is $R_{t}=\sigma(tq)/\sigma(\bar{t}q)=1.636^{+0.036}_{-0.034}$. The predictions at next-to-next-to-leading-order in quantum chromodynamics are in good agreement with these measurements. The predicted value of $R_{t}$ using different sets of parton distribution functions is compared with the measured value, demonstrating the potential to further constrain the functions when using this result in global fits. The measured cross-sections are interpreted in an effective field theory approach, setting limits at the 95% confidence level on the strength of a four-quark operator and an operator coupling the third quark generation to the Higgs boson doublet: $-0.37 < C_{Qq}^{3,1}/\Lambda^2 < 0.06$ and $-0.87 < C_{\phi Q}^{3}/\Lambda^2 < 1.42$. The constraint $|V_{tb}|>0.95$ at the 95% confidence level is derived from the measured value of $\sigma(tq+\bar{t}q)$. In a more general approach, pairs of CKM matrix elements involving top quarks are simultaneously constrained, leading to confidence contours in the corresponding two-dimensional parameter spaces.
The 17 variables used for the training of the NN ordered by their discriminating power. The jet that is not \(b\)-tagged is referred to as the untagged jet. The charged lepton is denoted \(\ell\). The sphericity tensor \(S^{\alpha\beta}\) used to define the sphericity \(S\) is formed with the three-momenta \(\vec{p}_i\) of the reconstructed objects, namely the jets, the charged lepton and the reconstructed neutrino. The tensor is given by \(S^{\alpha\beta}=\frac{\sum_i p_i^\alpha p_i^\beta}{\sum_i |\vec{p}_i|^2}\) where \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) correspond to the spatial components $x$, $y$ and $z$.
The impact of different groups of systematic uncertainties on the \(\sigma(tq)\) , \(\sigma(\bar t q)\), \(\sigma(tq + \bar t q)\) and \(R_t\), given in %.
The impact of the eight most important systematic uncertainties on the \(\sigma(tq)\) , \(\sigma(\bar t q)\) and \(\sigma(tq + \bar t q)\), given in %. The sequence of the uncertainties is given by the impact on \(\sigma(tq + \bar t q)\)
A combination of fifteen top quark mass measurements performed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC is presented. The data sets used correspond to an integrated luminosity of up to 5 and 20$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The combination includes measurements in top quark pair events that exploit both the semileptonic and hadronic decays of the top quark, and a measurement using events enriched in single top quark production via the electroweak $t$-channel. The combination accounts for the correlations between measurements and achieves an improvement in the total uncertainty of 31% relative to the most precise input measurement. The result is $m_\mathrm{t}$ = 172.52 $\pm$ 0.14 (stat) $\pm$ 0.30 (syst) GeV, with a total uncertainty of 0.33 GeV.
Uncertainties on the $m_{t}$ values extracted in the LHC, ATLAS, and CMS combinations arising from the categories described in the text, sorted in order of decreasing value of the combined LHC uncertainty.
Detailed measurements of $t$-channel single top-quark production are presented. They use 20.2 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV at the LHC. Total, fiducial and differential cross-sections are measured for both top-quark and top-antiquark production. The fiducial cross-section is measured with a precision of 5.8 % (top quark) and 7.8 % (top antiquark), respectively. The total cross-sections are measured to be $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(tq) = 56.7^{+4.3}_{-3.8}\;$pb for top-quark production and $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(\bar{t}q) = 32.9^{+3.0}_{-2.7}\;$pb for top-antiquark production, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. In addition, the ratio of top-quark to top-antiquark production cross-sections is determined to be $R_t=1.72 \pm 0.09$, with an improved relative precision of 4.9 % since several systematic uncertainties cancel in the ratio. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity of both the top quark and the top antiquark are measured at both the parton and particle levels. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential cross-sections of the accompanying jet from the $t$-channel scattering are measured at particle level. All measurements are compared to various Monte Carlo predictions as well as to fixed-order QCD calculations where available.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region (SR). The multijet background prediction is obtained from a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ distribution. All the other predictions are derived using theoretical cross-sections, given for the backgrounds in Sect. 6 and for the signal in Sect. 1. The quoted uncertainties are in the predicted cross-sections or in the number of multijet events, in case of the multijet process.
Definition of the fiducial phase space.
The seven input variables to the NN ordered by their discriminating power. The jet that is not $b$-tagged is referred to as $\textit{untagged}~$jet.
Single top quark events produced in the t channel are used to set limits on anomalous Wtb couplings and to search for top quark flavour-changing neutral current (FCNC) interactions. The data taken with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 and 8 TeV correspond to integrated luminosities of 5.0 and 19.7 inverse femtobarns, respectively. The analysis is performed using events with one muon and two or three jets. A Bayesian neural network technique is used to discriminate between the signal and backgrounds, which are observed to be consistent with the standard model prediction. The 95% confidence level (CL) exclusion limits on anomalous right-handed vector, and left- and right-handed tensor Wtb couplings are measured to be |f[V]^R| < 0.16, |f[T]^L| < 0.057, and -0.049 < f[T]^R < 0.048, respectively. For the FCNC couplings kappa[tug] and kappa[tcg], the 95% CL upper limits on coupling strengths are |kappa[tug]|/Lambda < 4.1E-3 TeV-1 and |kappa[tcg]|/Lambda < 1.8E-2 TeV-1, where Lambda is the scale for new physics, and correspond to upper limits on the branching fractions of 2.0E-5 and 4.1E-4 for the decays t to ug and t to cg, respectively.
Predicted and observed event yields before and after multijet BNN selection for $\sqrt{s}=7$ and $8$ TeV.
List of input variables for the Bayesian neural networks used in the analysis. Numbers in the cells indicate whether the variable was used in a network in 7 TeV analysis, 8 TeV one, or in both of them.
One-dimensional exclusion limits on anomalous $Wtb$ couplings, evaluated in different two- and three-dimensional scenarios in the analyses conducted at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and $8$ TeV.).
A measurement of the $t$-channel single-top-quark and single-top-antiquark production cross-sections in the lepton+je ts channel is presented, using 3.2 fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015. Events are selected by requiring one charged lepton (electron or muon), missing transverse momentum, and two jets with high transverse momentum, exactly one of which is required to be $b$-tagged. Using a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the discriminant distribution of a neural network, the cross-sections are determined to be $\sigma(tq) = 156 \pm 5 \, (\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 27 \, (\mathrm{syst.}) \pm 3\,(\mathrm{lumi.})$ pb for single top-quark production and $\sigma(\bar{t}q) = 91 \pm 4 \, (\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 18 \, (\mathrm{syst.}) \pm 2\,(\mathrm{lumi.})$ pb for single top-antiquark production, assuming a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV. The cross-section ratio is measured to be $R_t = \sigma(tq)/\sigma(\bar{t}q) = 1.72 \pm 0.09 \, (\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.18 \, (\mathrm{syst.})$.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region. The quoted uncertainties include uncertainties in the theoretical cross-sections, in the number of multijet events, and the statistical uncertainties. The event yield of the $W^+ + $jets process in the $\ell^-$ channel is reported to be $<1$ in the paper. To provide a numerical value for this table in HEPdata, the yield is approximated with $1\pm 1$. The same is done for the event yield of the $W^- + $jets process in the $\ell^+$ channel.
Estimated scale factors, $\hat{\beta}$, and number of events, $\hat{\nu}=\hat{\beta}\cdot\nu$, for the $\ell^+$ and $\ell^-$ channel from the minimisation of the likelihood function. The quoted uncertainties in $\hat{\beta}$ and $\hat{\nu}$ include the statistical uncertainty and the uncertainties from the constraints on the background normalisation as used in the likelihood function.
Measured total cross sections of single top-quark and single top-antiquark production and their ratio $R_t$. In addition, the sum of top-quark and top-antiquark production is provided as well. Based on the total cross section the value of $f_\mathrm{LV}\cdot |V_{tb}|$ is determined.
A first measurement of the top quark spin asymmetry, sensitive to the top quark polarisation, in t-channel single top quark production is presented. It is based on a sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse-femtobarns. A high-purity sample of t-channel single top quark events with an isolated muon is selected. Signal and background components are estimated using a fit to data. A differential cross section measurement, corrected for detector effects, of an angular observable sensitive to the top quark polarisation is performed. The differential distribution is used to extract a top quark spin asymmetry of 0.26 +/- 0.03 (stat) +/- 0.10 (syst), which is compatible with a p-value of 4.6% with the standard model prediction of 0.44.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top quark.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top antiquark.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top quark and antiquark.
Results are presented from a search for new decaying massive particles whose presence is inferred from an imbalance in transverse momentum and which are produced in association with a single top quark that decays into a bottom quark and two light quarks. The measurement is performed using 19.7 inverse femtobarns of data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. No deviations from the standard model predictions are observed and lower limits are set on the masses of new invisible bosons. In particular, scalar and vector particles, with masses below 330 and 650 GeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% confidence level, thus substantially extending a previous limit published by the CDF Collaboration.
The invariant mass of the three jets prior to the selection on their mass to be less than 250 GeV, for events with one b-tagged jet. Data are compared to the simulated backgrounds. The expectation from a model for an invisible vector particle with a mass of 700 GeV is represented by the dashed line.
The 95% CL expected and observed CLS limits as functions of the mass of a scalar invisible particle. The expected magnitude of a signal as a function of mass, calculated at leading order, is shown by the dashed curve. The confidence intervals for the expected limit are given at 68% and 95% coverage probability. Information about functional form used for the signal (labeled "scalar signal" in the paper): F = 7.52936*exp(-(0.0070828*(x^1.02681))), where x = M.
The 95% CL expected and observed CLS limits as functions of the mass of a vector invisible particle. The expected magnitude of a signal as a function of mass, calculated at leading order, is shown by the dashed curve. The confidence intervals for the expected limit are given at 68% and 95% coverage probability. Information about functional form used for the signal (labeled "vector signal" in the paper): F = 1390.91*exp(-(0.397971*(x^0.477721))), where x = M.
A measurement of the W boson helicity is presented, where the W boson originates from the decay of a top quark produced in pp collisions. The event selection, optimized for reconstructing a single top quark in the final state, requires exactly one isolated lepton (muon or electron) and exactly two jets, one of which is likely to originate from the hadronization of a bottom quark. The analysis is performed using data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2012. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The measured helicity fractions are F[L] = 0.298 +/- 0.028 (stat) +\- 0.032 (syst), F[0] = 0.720 +/- 0.039 (stat) +/- 0.037 (syst), and F[R] = -0.018 +/- 0.019 (stat) +/- 0.011 (syst). These results are used to set limits on the real part of the tWb anomalous couplings, gL and gR.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in the muon channel. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The statistical correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.90.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in the electron channel. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The statistical correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.90.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in both electron and muon channels. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the combined fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The total correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.80.
This article presents measurements of the $t$-channel single top-quark ($t$) and top-antiquark ($\bar{t}$) total production cross sections $\sigma(tq)$ and $\sigma(\bar{t}q)$, their ratio $R_{t}=\sigma(tq)/\sigma(\bar{t}q)$, and a measurement of the inclusive production cross section $\sigma(tq + \bar{t}q)$ in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV at the LHC. Differential cross sections for the $tq$ and $\bar{t}q$ processes are measured as a function of the transverse momentum and the absolute value of the rapidity of $t$ and $\bar{t}$, respectively. The analyzed data set was recorded with the ATLAS detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.59 fb$^{-1}$. Selected events contain one charged lepton, large missing transverse momentum, and two or three jets. The cross sections are measured by performing a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the output distributions of neural networks. The resulting measurements are $\sigma(tq)= 46\pm 6\; \mathrm{pb}$, $\sigma(\bar{t}q)= 23 \pm 4\; \mathrm{pb}$, $R_{t}=2.04\pm 0.18$, and $\sigma(tq + \bar{t}q)= 68 \pm 8\; \mathrm{pb}$, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. The uncertainty on the measured cross sections is dominated by systematic uncertainties, while the uncertainty on $R_{t}$ is mainly statistical. Using the ratio of $\sigma(tq + \bar{t}q)$ to its theoretical prediction, and assuming that the top-quark-related CKM matrix elements obey the relation $|V_{tb}|\gg |V_{ts}|, |V_{td}|$, we determine $|V_{tb}|=1.02 \pm 0.07$.
Predicted and observed events yields for the 2-jet and 3-jet channels considered in this measurement. The multijet background is estimated using data-driven techniques (see Sec. VB); an uncertainty of $50\%$ is applied. All the other expectations are derived using theoretical cross sections and their uncertainties (see Secs. VA and VC in the paper).
Detailed list of the contribution of each source of uncertainty to the total uncertainty on the measured values of $\sigma(tq)$, $\sigma(\bar{t}q)$, $R_t$, and $\sigma(tq+\bar{t}q)$. The evaluation of the systematic uncertainties has a statistical uncertainty of $0.3\,\%$. Uncertainties contributing less than $1.0\,\%$ are marked with "$<1$" in the paper. To provide numerical values for this table in HEPdata, these uncertainties are approximated with $\pm 0.5\,\%$. This approximation is applied to all measurements for the following uncertainties$:$ JES statistical, JES physics modeling, JES mixed detector and modeling, JES close-by-jets, JES pileup, $b$-JES, jet vertex fraction, mistag efficiency and $W+\;$jets shape variation. For the measurement of $\sigma(tq)$ the approximation is applied in addition to the following uncertainties$:$ JES flavor response, $c$-tagging efficiency, $t\bar{t}$ generator + parton shower and $t\bar{t}$ ISR/FSR. For the measurement of $\sigma(\bar{t}q)$ the approximation is applied in addition to these uncertainties$:$ JES flavor response, $b/\bar{b}$ acceptance, and $t\bar{t}$ ISR/FSR. For the measurement of $R_t$ the approximation is applied in addition to these uncertainties$:$ JES detector, $b$-tagging efficiency, $c$-tagging efficiency, $b/\bar{b}$ acceptance and $tq$ scale variations. For the measurement of $\sigma(tq+\bar{t}q)$ the approximation is applied in addition to these uncertainties$:$ JES flavor response, $c$-tagging efficiency, $b/\bar{b}$ acceptance, $t\bar{t}$ generator + parton shower and $t\bar{t}$ ISR/FSR.
The cross sections for top-quark and top-antiquark production in the t-channel, together with the cross-section ratio.
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