The paper presents a search for supersymmetric particles produced in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 13 TeV and decaying into final states with missing transverse momentum and jets originating from charm quarks. The data were taken with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN from 2015 to 2018 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess of events over the expected Standard Model background expectation is observed in optimized signal regions, and limits are set on the production cross-sections of the supersymmetric particles. Pair production of charm squarks or top squarks, each decaying into a charm quark and the lightest supersymmetric particle $\tilde{\chi}^0_1$, is excluded at 95% confidence level for squarks with masses up to 900 GeV for scenarios where the mass of $\tilde{\chi}^0_1$ is below 50 GeV. Additionally, the production of leptoquarks with masses up to 900 GeV is excluded for the scenario where up-type leptoquarks decay into a charm quark and a neutrino. Model-independent limits on cross-sections and event yields for processes beyond the Standard Model are also reported.
Summary of material in this HEPData record. <br/><br/> Truth Code snippets, SLHA files, Madgraph process cards and UFO files for the leptoquark models are available under "Additional Resources" (purple button on the left). <br/><br/> <b>Contours:</b> <ul> SUSY exclusion limits (best-expected SR combination) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour1">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour3">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour2">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour4">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour5">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour6">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (best-expected SR combination) as a function of $\Delta m(\tilde{t}_1,\tilde{\chi}_1^0)$ <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour7">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour9">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour8">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour10">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour11">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour12">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-HM1) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour15">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour14">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour13">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour18">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour16">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour17">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-HM2) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour21">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour20">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour19">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour24">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour22">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour23">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-HM3) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour27">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour26">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour25">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour30">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour28">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour29">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-Comp1) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour33">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour32">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour31">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour36">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour34">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour35">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-Comp2) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour39">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour38">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour37">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour42">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour40">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour41">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-Comp3) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour45">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour44">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour43">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour48">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour46">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour47">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (SR-Comp-1c) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour50">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour49">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (scan over branching fraction for $m(\tilde{\chi}_1^0)=1$ GeV) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour51">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour53">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour52">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour54">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour55">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour56">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> SUSY exclusion limits (scan over branching fraction for $m(\tilde{\chi}_1^0)=200$ GeV) <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour57">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour59">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour58">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour60">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour61">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour62">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{21}$ exclusion limits <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour65">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour64">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour63">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour68">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour66">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour67">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{22}$ exclusion limits <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour71">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour70">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour69">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour74">Observed</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour72">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Contour73">-1$\sigma$</a> <br/> </ul> </ul> <b>Cross-section upper limits:</b> <ul> SUSY signals (best-expected SR combination): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit1">Observed</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{21}$ (combined High-Mass SRs): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit2">Observed</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{22}$ (combined High-Mass SRs): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit3">Observed</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (min) (combined High-Mass SRs): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit6">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit5">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit4">-1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit7">Observed</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (YM) (combined High-Mass SRs): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit10">Expected</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit9">+1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit8">-1$\sigma$</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cross-sectionupperlimit11">Observed</a> <br/> </ul> <b>Signal region distributions:</b> <ul> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution2">$E_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{miss}$ Sig. in SR-HM1</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution3">$m_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{min}(c)$ in SR-HM2</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution4">$R_\mathrm{ISR}$ in SR-Comp1</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution5">$R_\mathrm{ISR}$ in SR-Comp2</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution6">$R_\mathrm{ISR}$ in SR-Comp3</a> <br/> <a href="155678?version=1&table=SRdistribution1">$R_\mathrm{ISR}$ in SR-Comp-1c</a> <br/> </ul> <b>Acceptances:</b> <ul> SUSY signals: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance2">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance3">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance4">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance5">SR-HM-Disc</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance6">SR-Comp1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance7">SR-Comp2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance8">SR-Comp3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance1">SR-Comp-1c</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{21}$: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance9">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance10">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance11">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance12">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{22}$: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance13">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance14">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance15">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance16">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (min): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance17">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance18">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance19">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance20">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (YM): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance21">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance22">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance23">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptance24">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> </ul> <b>Efficiencies:</b> <ul> $U(1)$ pair (min): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency1">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency2">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency3">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency4">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (YM): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency5">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency6">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency7">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Efficiency8">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> </ul> <b>Acceptance times efficiency:</b> <ul> SUSY signals: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency2">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency3">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency4">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency5">SR-HM-Disc</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency6">SR-Comp1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency7">SR-Comp2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency8">SR-Comp3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency1">SR-Comp-1c</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{21}$: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency9">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency10">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency11">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency12">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{22}$: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency13">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency14">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency15">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency16">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (min): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency17">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency18">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency19">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency20">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> $U(1)$ pair (YM): <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency21">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency22">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency23">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Acceptancetimesefficiency24">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> </ul> <b>Cutflow:</b> <ul> SUSY benchmarks: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow5">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow6">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow7">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow8">SR-HM-Disc</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow2">SR-Comp1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow3">SR-Comp2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow4">SR-Comp3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow1">SR-Comp-1c</a> <br/> LQ benchmarks: <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow9">SR-HM1</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow10">SR-HM2</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow11">SR-HM3</a> <a href="155678?version=1&table=Cutflow12">SR-HM-Disc</a> <br/> </ul>
Expected exclusion limit at 95% CL for pair production of top squarks decaying to charm quarks and neutralinos.
Expected exclusion limit $(-1\sigma)$ at 95% CL for pair production of top squarks decaying to charm quarks and neutralinos.
This paper presents a search for supersymmetric particles in models with highly compressed mass spectra, in events consistent with being produced through vector boson fusion. The search uses 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Events containing at least two jets with a large gap in pseudorapidity, large missing transverse momentum, and no reconstructed leptons are selected. A boosted decision tree is used to separate events consistent with the production of supersymmetric particles from those due to Standard Model backgrounds. The data are found to be consistent with Standard Model predictions. The results are interpreted using simplified models of $R$-parity-conserving supersymmetry in which the lightest supersymmetric partner is a bino-like neutralino with a mass similar to that of the lightest chargino and second-to-lightest neutralino, both of which are wino-like. Lower limits at 95% confidence level on the masses of next-to-lightest supersymmetric partners in this simplified model are established between 117 and 120 GeV when the lightest supersymmetric partners are within 1 GeV in mass.
Observed and predicted background distributions of the BDT score in $\text{SR}_\text{2j}$ after the exclusion fit. The nominal, pre-fit prediction of an example benchmark signal with $(m(\widetilde{\chi}_{2}^{0}/\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}), \widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}) = (100, 99)$ GeV is shown in red. The 'Other' category contains rare backgrounds from diboson, triboson and top-quark production processes. The hatched band represents the post-fit experimental, theoretical, and statistical uncertainties in the total background. The bottom panel of each plot shows the ratio between the data and the post-fit background prediction.
Observed and predicted background distributions of the BDT score in $\text{SR}_{\geq3\text{j}}$ after the exclusion fit. The nominal, pre-fit prediction of an example benchmark signal with $(m(\widetilde{\chi}_{2}^{0}/\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}), \widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}) = (100, 99)$ GeV is shown in red. The 'Other' category contains rare backgrounds from diboson, triboson and top-quark production processes. The hatched band represents the post-fit experimental, theoretical, and statistical uncertainties in the total background. The bottom panel of each plot shows the ratio between the data and the post-fit background prediction.
Expected (dashed black line) and observed (solid red line) 95% CL exclusion limits on the compressed SUSY simplified model with a bino-like LSP and wino-like NLSPs being considered. These are shown with $\pm1\sigma_\text{exp}$ (yellow band) from experimental systematic and statistical uncertainties, and with $\pm1\sigma^{\text{SUSY}}_{\text{theory}}$ (red dotted lines) from signal cross-section uncertainties, respectively. The limits set by the ATLAS searches using the soft lepton signature is illustrated by the blue region while the limit imposed by the LEP experiments is shown in grey.
A search for the production of top-quark pairs with the same electric charge ($tt$ or $\bar{t}\bar{t}$) is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. Events with two same-charge leptons and at least two $b$-tagged jets are selected. Neural networks are employed to define two selections sensitive to additional couplings beyond the Standard Model that would enhance the production rate of same-sign top-quark pairs. No significant signal is observed, leading to an upper limit on the total production cross-section of same-sign top-quark pairs of 1.6 fb at 95$\%$ confidence level. Corresponding limits on the three Wilson coefficients associated with the ${\cal O}_{tu}^{(1)}$, ${\cal O}_{Qu}^{(1)}$, and ${\cal O}_{Qu}^{(8)}$ operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework are derived.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{ctu ++}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{ctu --}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{cQu ++}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
A search for a light charged Higgs boson produced in decays of the top quark, $t \to H^\pm b$ with $H^\pm \to cs$, is presented. This search targets the production of top-quark pairs $t\bar{t} \to Wb H^\pm b$, with $W \to \ell\nu$ ($\ell = e, \mu$), resulting in a lepton-plus-jets final state characterised by an isolated electron or muon and at least four jets. The search exploits $b$-quark and $c$-quark identification techniques as well as multivariate methods to suppress the dominant $t\bar{t}$ background. The data analysed correspond to 140 $\text{fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. Observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fraction $\mathscr{B}(t\to H^\pm b)$, assuming $\mathscr{B}(t\to Wb) + \mathscr{B}(t \to H^\pm (\to cs)b)=1.0$, are set between 0.066% (0.077%) and 3.6% (2.3%) for a charged Higgs boson with a mass between 60 GeV and 168 GeV.
Distributions of the dijet mass. The processes $t\bar{t}$(allHad), $tW$, Single top, $t\bar{t}H$, Other top, $W$ + jets, $Z$ + jets, and $VV$ listed are combined with the multijet background in the ‘Other’ category. The uncertainty band represents the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty of the prediction. Overlaid are the shapes for the $H^{\pm}_{80}$ and $H^{\pm}_{150}$ signal samples normalised to the total background prediction.
Data and background yields after the background-only fit of the BDT-score distribution for the $130\,$GeV signal mass BDT training. For comparison, the expected signal yield for $\mathscr{B}_{H^{\pm}}=1.0\%$ is added.
Observed (solid line) and expected (dotted line) upper limits on $\mathscr{B}_{H^{\pm}}$ for charged Higgs boson with masses between $60\,$GeV and $168\,$GeV, assuming $\mathscr{B}(t \to H^{\pm}(\to cs) b) = 1.0$. The $\pm 1 \sigma$ and $\pm 2 \sigma$ variations around the expected upper limit are indicated by the green and yellow bands, respectively.
A search for the resonant production of a heavy scalar $X$ decaying into a Higgs boson and a new lighter scalar $S$, through the process $X \to S(\to bb) H(\to \gamma\gamma)$, where the two photons are consistent with the Higgs boson decay, is performed. The search is conducted using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is performed over the mass range 170 $\leq$$m_{X}$$\leq$ 1000 GeV and 15 $\leq$$m_{S}$$\leq$ 500 GeV. Parameterised neural networks are used to enhance the signal purity and to achieve continuous sensitivity in a domain of the ($m_{X}$, $m_{S}$) plane. No significant excess above the expected background is found and 95% CL upper limits are set on the cross section times branching ratio, ranging from 39 fb to 0.09 fb. The largest deviation from the background-only expectation occurs for ($m_{X}$, $m_{S}$) = (575, 200) GeV with a local (global) significance of 3.5 (2.0) standard deviations.
Number of events for the 2 b-jet process category obtained from a background-only fit to data in the signal region and sideband. In the signal region the yield in the most signal-like bin of the PNN distribution, parameterised to the signal point mass (mX, mS) = (250, 100) GeV, is also provided. The uncertainties are symmetrised around the central value. The uncertainty in the total background is calculated taking correlations between the individual contributions into account. For the single Higgs boson processes, 'Other' includes the following production modes: VBF, WH, tHq, and tHW.
Number of events for the 1 b-jet process category obtained from a background-only fit to data in the signal region and sideband. In the signal region the yield in the most signal-like bin of the PNN distribution, parameterised to the signal point mass (mX, mS) = (1000, 70) GeV, is also provided. The uncertainties are symmetrised around the central value. The uncertainty in the total background is calculated taking correlations between the individual contributions into account. For the single Higgs boson processes, 'Other' includes the following production modes: VBF, WH, tHq, and tHW.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits on the signal cross section times the branching ratio of X → SH → b b $\gamma \gamma$ shown in the (mX, mS) plane, for each evaluated point. The values of the expected limit one and two standard deviations from the nominal value are also shown. The band at mS = 125 GeV is not included as these signal points are equivalent to those already probed in Phys. Rev. D 106 (2022) 052001.
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 \(\sigma(tq + \bar t q)\)
Three searches for the direct production of $\tau$-sleptons or charginos and neutralinos in final states with at least two hadronically decaying $\tau$-leptons are presented. For chargino and neutralino production, decays via intermediate $\tau$-sleptons or $W$ and $h$ bosons are considered. The analysis uses a dataset of $pp$ collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $139\,$fb$^{-1}$, recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. No significant deviation from the expected Standard Model background is observed and supersymmetric particle mass limits at 95% confidence level are obtained in simplified models. For direct production of $\tilde~{\chi}^+_1\tilde~{\chi}^-_1$, chargino masses are excluded up to 970 GeV, while $\tilde~{\chi}^{\pm}_1$ and $\tilde~{\chi}^0_2$ masses up to 1160 GeV (330 GeV) are excluded for $\tilde~{\chi}^{\pm}_1\tilde~{\chi}^0_2$/$\tilde~{\chi}^+_1\tilde~{\chi}^-_1$ production with subsequent decays via $\tau$-sleptons ($W$ and $h$ bosons). Masses of $\tau$-sleptons up to 500 GeV are excluded for mass degenerate $\tilde~{\tau}_{L,R}$ scenarios and up to 425 GeV for $\tilde~{\tau}_L$-only scenarios. Sensitivity to $\tilde~{\tau}_R$-only scenarios from the ATLAS experiment is presented here for the first time, with $\tilde~{\tau}_R$ masses excluded up to 350 GeV.
The post-fit BDT score distribution for the direct stau channel, showing the scores for BDT1, before the selections on the BDT score is made. The black arrow depicts the BDT score selection for the SR-BDT. A few example SUSY scenarios targeted by each BDT are overlaid for illustration.
The post-fit BDT score distribution for the direct stau channel, showing the scores for BDT2, before the selections on the BDT score is made. The black arrow depicts the BDT score selection for the SR-BDT. A few example SUSY scenarios targeted by each BDT are overlaid for illustration.
The post-fit BDT score distribution for the direct stau channel, showing the scores for BDT3, before the selections on the BDT score is made. The black arrow depicts the BDT score selection for the SR-BDT. A few example SUSY scenarios targeted by each BDT are overlaid for illustration.
A search for a new heavy boson produced via gluon-fusion in the four-lepton channel with missing transverse momentum or jets is performed. The search uses proton-proton collision data equivalent to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector between 2015 and 2018 at the Large Hadron Collider. This study explores the decays of heavy bosons: $R\rightarrow SH$ and $A\rightarrow ZH$, where $R$ is a CP-even boson, $A$ is a CP-odd boson, $H$ is a CP-even boson, and $S$ is considered to decay into invisible particles that are candidates for dark matter. In these processes, $S\rightarrow \textrm{invisible}$ and $H\rightarrow ZZ$. The $Z$ boson associated with the heavy scalar boson $H$ decays into all decay channels of the $Z$ boson. The mass range under consideration is 390-1300 (320-1300) GeV for the $R$ ($A$) boson and 220-1000 GeV for the $H$ boson. No significant deviation from the Standard Model backgrounds is observed. The results are interpreted as upper limits at a 95% confidence level on the cross-section times the branching ratio of the heavy resonances.
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR1 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR2 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR3 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
This paper presents the measurement of fiducial and differential cross sections for both the inclusive and electroweak production of a same-sign $W$-boson pair in association with two jets ($W^\pm W^\pm jj$) using 139 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. The analysis is performed by selecting two same-charge leptons, electron or muon, and at least two jets with large invariant mass and a large rapidity difference. The measured fiducial cross sections for electroweak and inclusive $W^\pm W^\pm jj$ production are $2.92 \pm 0.22\, \text{(stat.)} \pm 0.19\, \text{(syst.)}$ fb and $3.38 \pm 0.22\, \text{(stat.)} \pm 0.19\, \text{(syst.)}$ fb, respectively, in agreement with Standard Model predictions. The measurements are used to constrain anomalous quartic gauge couplings by extracting 95% confidence level intervals on dimension-8 operators. A search for doubly charged Higgs bosons $H^{\pm\pm}$ that are produced in vector-boson fusion processes and decay into a same-sign $W$ boson pair is performed. The largest deviation from the Standard Model occurs for an $H^{\pm\pm}$ mass near 450 GeV, with a global significance of 2.5 standard deviations.
Fiducial differential cross section of the electroweak $W^\pm W^\pm jj$ production as a function of $m_{\ell\ell}$. The correlation of uncertainties of the measured cross section across bins is presented in Table 11.
Fiducial differential cross section of the electroweak $W^\pm W^\pm jj$ production as a function of $m_{\mathrm{T}}$. The correlation of uncertainties of the measured cross section across bins is presented in Table 12.
Fiducial differential cross section of the electroweak $W^\pm W^\pm jj$ production as a function of $m_{\mathrm{jj}}$. The correlation of uncertainties of the measured cross section across bins is presented in Table 13.
A search is reported for long-lived dark photons with masses between 0.1 GeV and 15 GeV, from exotic decays of Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson-fusion. Events that contain displaced collimated Standard Model fermions reconstructed in the calorimeter or muon spectrometer are probed. This search uses the full LHC Run 2 (2015-2018) data sample collected in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 $fb^{-1}$. Dominant backgrounds from Standard Model processes and non-collision sources are estimated by using data-driven techniques. The observed event yields in the signal regions are consistent with the expected background. Upper limits on the Higgs boson to dark photon branching fraction are reported as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length or of the dark-photon mass and the coupling between the Standard Model and the potential dark sector. This search is combined with previous ATLAS searches obtained in the gluon-gluon fusion and \textit{WH} production modes. A branching fraction above 10% is excluded at 95% CL for a 125 GeV Higgs boson decaying into two dark photons for dark-photon mean proper decay lengths between 173 and 1296 mm and mass of 10 GeV.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H→ 2γ<sub>d</sub>+X) for different γ<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125 GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length cτ. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>μ</sub> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H→ 2γ<sub>d</sub>+X) for different γ<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125 GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length cτ. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>c</sub><sup>L</sup> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on B(H→ 2γ<sub>d</sub>+X) for different γ<sub>d</sub> masses and a 125 GeV Higgs boson, as a function of the dark-photon mean proper decay length cτ. The limits are shown for the SR<sub>c</sub><sup>H</sup> search channel, assuming an FRVZ signal model. The hatched band denotes the region in which the branching ratio is larger than unity.