A combination of the searches for pair-produced vector-like partners of the top and bottom quarks in various decay channels ($T$$\rightarrow$$Zt/Wb/Ht$, $B$$\rightarrow$$Zb/Wt/Hb$) is performed using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model background prediction in all individual searches. Therefore, combined 95% confidence-level upper limits are set on the production cross-section for a range of vector-like quark scenarios, significantly improving upon the reach of the individual searches. Model-independent limits are set assuming the vector-like quarks decay to Standard Model particles. A singlet $T$ is excluded for masses below 1.31 TeV and a singlet $B$ is excluded for masses below 1.22 TeV. Assuming a weak isospin $(T,B)$ doublet and $|V_{Tb}| \ll |V_{tB}|$, $T$ and $B$ masses below 1.37 TeV are excluded.
Expected and observed 95% lower limits on the vector-like top quark mass as a function of the branching ratio, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks).
Expected and observed 95% lower limits on the vector-like bottom quark mass as a function of the branching ratio, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks).
Expected and observed 95% upper limits on the vector-like top quark pair-production signal strength (i.e. the ratio sigma_exclusion/sigma_VLQ) as a function of the branching ratio for a vector-like quark mass of 800 GeV, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks). If interpreting these results in models with decays to non-Standard-Model particles, one must check that the additional decays will not end up in any control regions of the relevant analyses.
A search is presented for the pair production of heavy vector-like quarks, $T\bar T$ or $B\bar B$, that decay into final states with jets and no reconstructed leptons. Jets in the final state are classified using a deep neural network as arising from hadronically decaying $W/Z$ bosons, Higgs bosons, top quarks, or background. The analysis uses data from the ATLAS experiment corresponding to 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions with a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV delivered by the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. Results are interpreted assuming the vector-like quarks decay into a Standard Model boson and a third-generation-quark, $T\rightarrow Wb,Ht,Zt$ or $B\rightarrow Wt,Hb,Zb$, for a variety of branching ratios. At 95% confidence level, the observed (expected) lower limit on the vector-like $B$-quark mass for a weak-isospin doublet ($B, Y$) is 950 (890) GeV, and the lower limits on the masses for the pure decays $B\rightarrow Hb$ and $T\rightarrow Ht$, where these results are strongest, are 1010 (970) GeV and 1010 (1010) GeV, respectively.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $T\bar T$ cross section as a function of $T$ mass under the assumption BR($T\to Ht$)=1.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $B\bar B$ cross section as a function of $B$ mass under the assumption BR($B\to Hb$)=1.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $B\bar B$ cross section as a function of $B$ mass under the assumption of a weak-isospin doublet.
A search for pair production of the supersymmetric partners of the Higgs boson (higgsinos $\tilde{H}$) in gauge-mediated scenarios is reported. Each higgsino is assumed to decay to a Higgs boson and a gravitino. Two complementary analyses, targeting high- and low-mass signals, are performed to maximize sensitivity. The two analyses utilize LHC $pp$ collision data at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, the former with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ and the latter with 24.3 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. The search is performed in events containing missing transverse momentum and several energetic jets, at least three of which must be identified as $b$-quark jets. No significant excess is found above the predicted background. Limits on the cross-section are set as a function of the mass of the $\tilde{H}$ in simplified models assuming production via mass-degenerate higgsinos decaying to a Higgs boson and a gravitino. Higgsinos with masses between 130 and 230 GeV and between 290 and 880 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Interpretations of the limits in terms of the branching ratio of the higgsino to a $Z$ boson or a Higgs boson are also presented, and a 45% branching ratio to a Higgs boson is excluded for $m_{\tilde{H}} \approx 400$ GeV.
Distribution of m(h1) for events passing the preselection criteria of the high-mass analysis.
Distribution of effective mass for events passing the preselection criteria of the high-mass analysis.
Exclusion limits on higgsino pair production. The results of the low-mass analysis are used below m(higgsino) = 300 GeV, while those of the high-mass analysis are used above. The figure shows the observed and expected 95% upper limits on the higgsino pair production cross-section as a function of m(higgsino).
A search for a heavy neutral Higgs boson, $A$, decaying into a $Z$ boson and another heavy Higgs boson, $H$, is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search considers the $Z$ boson decaying to electrons or muons and the $H$ boson into a pair of $b$-quarks. No evidence for the production of an $A$ boson is found. Considering each production process separately, the 95% confidence-level upper limits on the $pp\rightarrow A\rightarrow ZH$ production cross-section times the branching ratio $H\rightarrow bb$ are in the range of 14-830 fb for the gluon-gluon fusion process and 26-570 fb for the $b$-associated process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and 230-800 GeV of the $A$ boson. The results are interpreted in the context of the two-Higgs-doublet model.
The signal efficiency for the production modes (gluon-gluon fusion and b-associated production) and the signal regions used in the analysis. The efficiency denominator has the total number of generated MC events. The numerator includes the events passing the full signal region selection, including the mbb window cuts. The table shows for each signal mass pair (mA, mH) 3 efficiencies corresponding to the two production modes in the two categories, 2tag and 3tag. These corresponds to "nb = 2 category" and "nb >= 3 category", respectively, of the preprint. No numbers for gluon-gluon fusion in the 3tag category are provided since those are not used in the analysis. The efficiencies are given in fractions.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced via gluon-gluon fusion. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the nb=2 category only.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced in association with b-quarks. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the combination of the nb=2 and nb>=3 categories.
This Letter presents a search for the production of a long-lived neutral particle ($Z_d$) decaying within the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter, in association with a Standard Model (SM) $Z$ boson produced via an intermediate scalar boson, where $Z\to l^+l^-$ ($l=e,\mu$). The data used were collected by the ATLAS detector during 2015 and 2016 $pp$ collisions with a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $36.1\pm0.8$ fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected background. Limits on the production cross section of the scalar boson times its decay branching fraction into the long-lived neutral particle are derived as a function of the mass of the intermediate scalar boson, the mass of the long-lived neutral particle, and its $c\tau$ from a few centimeters to one hundred meters. In the case that the intermediate scalar boson is the SM Higgs boson, its decay branching fraction to a long-lived neutral particle with a $c\tau$ approximately between 0.1 m and 7 m is excluded with a 95% confidence level up to 10% for $m_{Z_d}$ between 5 and 15 GeV.
The product of acceptance and efficiency for all signal MC samples.
A search for vectorlike quarks is presented, which targets their decay into a $Z$ boson and a third-generation Standard Model quark. In the case of a vectorlike quark $T$ ($B$) with charge $+2/3e$ ($-1/3e$), the decay searched for is $T \rightarrow Zt$ ($B \rightarrow Zb$). Data for this analysis were taken during 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. The final state used is characterized by the presence of $b$-tagged jets, as well as a $Z$ boson with high transverse momentum, which is reconstructed from a pair of opposite-sign same-flavor leptons. Pair and single production of vectorlike quarks are both taken into account and are each searched for using optimized dileptonic exclusive and trileptonic inclusive event selections. In these selections, the high scalar sum of jet transverse momenta, the presence of high-transverse-momentum large-radius jets, as well as - in the case of the single-production selections - the presence of forward jets are used. No significant excess over the background-only hypothesis is found and exclusion limits at 95% confidence level allow masses of vectorlike quarks of $m_T > 1030$ GeV ($m_T > 1210$ GeV) and $m_B > 1010$ GeV ($m_B > 1140$ GeV) in the singlet (doublet) model. In the case of 100% branching ratio for $T\rightarrow Zt$ ($B\rightarrow Zb$), the limits are $m_T > 1340$ GeV ($m_B > 1220$ GeV). Limits at 95% confidence level are also set on the coupling to Standard Model quarks for given vectorlike quark masses.
Comparison of the distribution of the scalar sum of small-$R$ jet transverse momenta, $H_T$, between data and the background prediction in the 0-large-$R$ jet-signal region of the pair-production (PP) $2\ell$ $0-1$J channel. The background prediction is shown post-fit, i.e. after the fit to the data $H_T$ distributions under the background-only hypothesis. The last bin contains the overflow. An example distribution for a $B\bar B$ signal in the singlet model with $m_B$ = 900 GeV is overlaid.
Comparison of the distribution of the scalar sum of small-$R$ jet transverse momenta, $H_T$, between data and the background prediction in the 1-large-$R$ jet-signal region of the pair-production (PP) $2\ell$ $0-1$J channel. The background prediction is shown post-fit, i.e. after the fit to the data $H_T$ distributions under the background-only hypothesis. The last bin contains the overflow. An example distribution for a $B\bar B$ signal in the singlet model with $m_B$ = 900 GeV is overlaid.
Comparison of the distribution of the invariant mass of the $Z$ boson candidate and the highest-$p_T$ $b$-tagged jet, $m(Zb)$, between data and the background prediction in the signal region of the pair-production (PP) $2\ell$ $\geq 2$J channel. The background prediction is shown post-fit, i.e. after the fit to the data $m(Zb)$ distributions under the background-only hypothesis. The last bin contains the overflow. An example distribution for a $B\bar B$ signal in the singlet model with $m_B$ = 900 GeV is overlaid.
This Letter presents a search for heavy charged long-lived particles produced in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV at the LHC using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2015 and 2016. These particles are expected to travel with a velocity significantly below the speed of light, and therefore have a specific ionisation higher than any high-momentum Standard Model particle of unit charge. The pixel subsystem of the ATLAS detector is used in this search to measure the ionisation energy loss of all reconstructed charged particles which traverse the pixel detector. Results are interpreted assuming the pair production of $R$-hadrons as composite colourless states of a long-lived gluino and Standard Model partons. No significant deviation from Standard Model background expectations is observed, and lifetime-dependent upper limits on $R$-hadron production cross-sections and gluino masses are set, assuming the gluino always decays in two quarks and a stable neutralino. $R$-hadrons with lifetimes above 1.0 ns are excluded at the 95% confidence level, with lower limits on the gluino mass ranging between 1290 GeV and 2060 GeV. In the case of stable $R$-hadrons, the lower limit on the gluino mass at the 95% confidence level is 1890 GeV.
The number of events in each CR, VR, and SR for the predicted background, for the expected contribution from the signal model normalised to $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$, and in the observed data. The predicted background includes the statistical and systematic uncertainties, respectively. The uncertainty in the signal yield includes all systematic uncertainties except that in the theoretical cross-section.
The number of events in each CR, VR, and SR for the predicted background, for the expected contribution from the signal model normalised to $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$, and in the observed data. The predicted background includes the statistical and systematic uncertainties, respectively. The uncertainty in the signal yield includes all systematic uncertainties except that in the theoretical cross-section.
Expected number of $R$-hadron signal events at different stages of the selection, normalised to $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$. Shown for three different signal points is the number of events expected and the number of events expected in which the selected track has been matched to a generated $R$-hadron. If the gluino decays, it decays to a 100 GeV $\tilde{\chi}^{0}$ and SM quarks.
Searches for non-resonant and resonant Higgs boson pair production are performed in the $\gamma\gamma WW^{*}$ channel with the final state of $\gamma\gamma\ell\nu jj$ using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction is observed. A 95% confidence-level observed upper limit of 7.7 pb is set on the cross section for non-resonant production, while the expected limit is 5.4 pb. A search for a narrow-width resonance $X$ decaying to a pair of Standard Model Higgs bosons $HH$ is performed with the same set of data, and the observed upper limits on $\sigma(pp \rightarrow X) \times B(X \rightarrow HH)$ range between 40.0 pb and 6.1 pb for masses of the resonance between 260 GeV and 500 GeV, while the expected limits range between 17.6 pb and 4.4 pb. When deriving the limits above, the Standard Model branching ratios of the $H \rightarrow \gamma\gamma$ and $H \rightarrow WW^{*}$ are assumed.
Number of data events without pTyy selection for $m_X$ = 260 GeV.
Number of data events witht pTyy selection for non-resonant.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross-section of gluon-fusion initialted resonant production of the mass of the resonance times the branch ratio (BR) of X to HH with assuming the BR of H to gammagamma and H to WW.
Charged Higgs bosons produced either in top-quark decays or in association with a top-quark, subsequently decaying via $H^{\pm} \to \tau^{\pm}\nu_{\tau}$, are searched for in 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. Depending on whether the top-quark produced together with $H^{\pm}$ decays hadronically or leptonically, the search targets $\tau$+jets and $\tau$+lepton final states, in both cases with a hadronically decaying $\tau$-lepton. No evidence of a charged Higgs boson is found. For the mass range of $m_{H^{\pm}}$ = 90-2000 GeV, upper limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the production cross-section of the charged Higgs boson times the branching fraction $\mathrm{B}(H^{\pm} \to \tau^{\pm}\nu_{\tau})$ in the range 4.2-0.0025 pb. In the mass range 90-160 GeV, assuming the Standard Model cross-section for $t\overline{t}$ production, this corresponds to upper limits between 0.25% and 0.031% for the branching fraction $\mathrm{B}(t\to bH^{\pm}) \times \mathrm{B}(H^{\pm} \to \tau^{\pm}\nu_{\tau})$.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on $\sigma(pp\to tbH^+)\times \mathrm{\cal{B}}(H^+\to\tau\nu)$ as a function of the charged Higgs boson mass in 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, after combination of the $\tau_{\rm had-vis}$+jets and $\tau_{\rm had-vis}$+lepton final states.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on $\mathrm{\cal{B}}(t\to bH^+)\times\mathrm{\cal{B}}(H^+\to\tau\nu)$ as a function of the charged Higgs boson mass in 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, after combination of the $\tau_{\rm had-vis}$+jets and $\tau_{\rm had-vis}$+lepton final states.
Observed 95% CL exclusion contour in the tan$\beta$ - $m_H$ plane shown in the context of the hMSSM, for the regions in which theoretical predictions are available (0.5$\leq\text{tan}\beta\leq60$).
A combined measurement of differential and inclusive total cross sections of Higgs boson production is performed using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data produced by the LHC and recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. Cross sections are obtained from measured $H \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ and $H \rightarrow ZZ^* \rightarrow 4\ell$ event yields, which are combined taking into account detector efficiencies, resolution, acceptances and branching fractions. The total Higgs boson production cross section is measured to be 57.0$^{+6.0}_{-5.9}$ (stat.) $^{+4.0}_{-3.3}$ (syst.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. Differential cross-section measurements are presented for the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution, Higgs boson rapidity, number of jets produced together with the Higgs boson, and the transverse momentum of the leading jet. The results from the two decay channels are found to be compatible, and their combination agrees with the Standard Model predictions.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for Higgs boson transverse momentum ptH. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for the Higgs boson rapidity |yH|. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for the number of jets Njets with pT > 30 GeV. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
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