A search for a pair of light pseudoscalar bosons (a$_1$) produced in the decay of the 125 GeV Higgs boson is presented. The analysis examines decay modes where one a$_1$ decays into a pair of tau leptons and the other decays into either another pair of tau leptons or a pair of muons. The a$_1$ boson mass probed in this study ranges from 4 to 15 GeV. The data sample was recorded by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. No excess above standard model (SM) expectations is observed. The study combines the 4$τ$ and 2$μ$2$τ$ channels to set upper limits at 95% confidence level (CL) on the product of the Higgs boson production cross section and the branching fraction to the 4$τ$ final state, relative to the Higgs boson production cross section predicted by the SM. In this interpretation, the a$_1$ boson is assumed to have Yukawa-like couplings to fermions, with coupling strengths proportional to the respective fermion masses. The observed (expected) upper limits range between 0.007 (0.011) and 0.079 (0.066) across the mass range considered. The results are also interpreted in the context of models with two Higgs doublets and an additional complex singlet field (2HD+S). The tightest constraints are obtained for the Type III 2HD+S model. In this case, assuming the Higgs boson production cross section equals the SM prediction, values of the branching ratio for the Higgs boson decay into a pair of a$_1$ bosons exceeding 16% are excluded at 95% CL for a$_1$ boson masses between 5 and 15 GeV and $\tanβ$ $\gt$ 2, with the exception of scenarios in which the a$_1$ boson mixes with charm or bottom quark-antiquark bound states.
The observed and expected upper limits at 95% confidence level on the product of the signal cross section and the branching fraction $\sigma (\mathrm{pp} \to \mathrm{H}+\text{X}) {\mathcal{B}} (\mathrm{H} \to \mathrm{a}_1\,\mathrm{a}_1) {\mathcal{B}}^{2} (\mathrm{a}_1 \to \tau \tau)$, relative to the inclusive Higgs boson production cross section $\sigma_\text{SM}$ predicted in the SM. The green and yellow bands indicate the regions containing 68% and 95% of the distribution of limits expected under the background-only hypothesis.
The observed and expected upper limits at 95% CLs on $\sigma (\mathrm{pp} \to \mathrm{H}+\text{X}) {\mathcal{B}} (\mathrm{H} \to \mathrm{a}_1\,\mathrm{a}_1)$, relative to $\sigma_\text{SM}$, as a function of $m_{\mathrm{a}_1}$ for Type I 2HD+S model ($\tan\beta$ independent).
The observed and expected upper limits at 95% CLs on $\sigma (\mathrm{pp} \to \mathrm{H}+\text{X}) {\mathcal{B}} (\mathrm{H} \to \mathrm{a}_1\,\mathrm{a}_1)$, relative to $\sigma_\text{SM}$, as a function of $m_{\mathrm{a}_1}$ for Type II 2HD+S model, $\tan\beta = 5$.
Several new physics models including versions of supersymmetry (SUSY) characterized by $R$-parity violation (RPV) or with additional hidden sectors predict the production of events with top quarks, low missing transverse momentum, and many additional quarks or gluons. The results of a search for top squarks decaying to two top quarks and six additional light-flavor quarks or gluons are reported. The search employs a novel machine learning method for background estimation from control samples in data using decorrelated discriminators. The search is performed using events with 0, 1, or 2 electrons or muons in conjunction with at least six jets. No requirement is placed on the magnitude of the missing transverse momentum. The result is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV corresponding to 138 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016$-$2018. The data are used to determine upper limits on the top squark pair production cross section in the frameworks of RPV and stealth SUSY. Models with top squark masses less than 700 (930) GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for RPV (stealth) SUSY scenarios.
Cutflows and signal efficiencies for the RPV SUSY model in the $0\ell$ channel corresponding to two values of $m_{\tilde{t}}$.
Cutflows and signal efficiencies for the Stealth SYY SUSY model in the $0\ell$ channel corresponding to two values of $m_{\tilde{t}}$.
Cutflows and signal efficiencies for the RPV SUSY model in the $1\ell$ channel corresponding to two values of $m_{\tilde{t}}$.
A search for dark matter particles produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying into a pair of $\tau$ leptons is performed using data collected in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector. The analysis is based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2017$-$2018. No significant excess over the expected standard model background is observed. This result is interpreted within the frameworks of the 2HDM+a and baryonic Z$'$ benchmark simplified models. The 2HDM+a model is a type-II two-Higgs-doublet model featuring a heavy pseudoscalar with an additional light pseudoscalar. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the production cross section and the branching fraction for each of these two simplified models. Heavy pseudoscalar boson masses between 400 and 700 GeV are excluded for a light pseudoscalar mass of 100 GeV. For the baryonic Z$'$ model, a statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data set of 36 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2016. In this model, Z$'$ boson masses up to 1050 GeV are excluded for a dark matter particle mass of 1 GeV.
Distributions of the total transverse mass $M_{T}^{tot}$ in the SRs, comparing observed data with the SM prediction in the $e\tau_{h}$ final states in 2017 (upper left) after the simultaneous maximum likelihood fit. Representative signal distributions are shown for the 2HDM+a (dashed red curve) and baryonic Z' (dashed black curve) models. The data points are shown with their statistical uncertainties, and the last bin includes overflow. The ``Other MC'' background contribution includes events from ggh, VBF, Wh, Zh, and electroweak vector boson production. The uncertainty band accounts for all systematic and statistical sources of uncertainty, after the fit to the data.
Distributions of the total transverse mass $M_{T}^{tot}$ in the SRs, comparing observed data with the SM prediction in the $e\tau_{h}$ final states in 2018 (upper right) after the simultaneous maximum likelihood fit. Representative signal distributions are shown for the 2HDM+a (dashed red curve) and baryonic Z' (dashed black curve) models. The data points are shown with their statistical uncertainties, and the last bin includes overflow. The ``Other MC'' background contribution includes events from ggh, VBF, Wh, Zh, and electroweak vector boson production. The uncertainty band accounts for all systematic and statistical sources of uncertainty, after the fit to the data.
Distributions of the total transverse mass $M_{T}^{tot}$ in the SRs, comparing observed data with the SM prediction in the $\mu\tau_{h}$ final states in 2017 (center left) after the simultaneous maximum likelihood fit. Representative signal distributions are shown for the 2HDM+a (dashed red curve) and baryonic Z' (dashed black curve) models. The data points are shown with their statistical uncertainties, and the last bin includes overflow. The ``Other MC'' background contribution includes events from ggh, VBF, Wh, Zh, and electroweak vector boson production. The uncertainty band accounts for all systematic and statistical sources of uncertainty, after the fit to the data.
A search is performed for dark matter (DM) produced in association with a single top quark or a pair of top quarks using the data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to 138 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. An excess of events with a large imbalance of transverse momentum is searched for across 0, 1 and 2 lepton final states. Novel multivariate techniques are used to take advantage of the differences in kinematic properties between the two DM production mechanisms. No significant deviations with respect to the standard model predictions are observed. The results are interpreted considering a simplified model in which the mediator is either a scalar or pseudoscalar particle and couples to top quarks and to DM fermions. Axion-like particles that are coupled to top quarks and DM fermions are also considered. Expected exclusion limits of 410 and 380 GeV for scalar and pseudoscalar mediator masses, respectively, are set at the 95% confidence level. A DM particle mass of 1 GeV is assumed, with mediator couplings to fermions and DM particles set to unity. A small signal-like excess is observed in data, with the largest local significance observed to be 1.9 standard deviations for the 150 GeV pseudoscalar mediator hypothesis. Because of this excess, mediator masses are only excluded below 310 (320) GeV for the scalar (pseudoscalar) mediator. The results are also translated into model-independent 95% confidence level upper limits on the visible cross section of DM production in association with top quarks, ranging from 1 pb to 0.02 pb.
The post-fit $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ distribution of the 1 b jet, 0 forward jet signal region in the all hadronic channel. A representative signal model distribution is shown for the scalar mediator interaction with $(m_{\chi},m_{\phi})=(1,100)$GeV and couplings set to unity. The grey dashed area in the upper panel represents the total uncertainty in all of the backgrounds and the chosen signal model, while in the lower panel it represents only the total uncertainty in the backgrounds.
The post-fit $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ distribution of the 1 b jet, $\geq 1$ forward jet signal region in the all hadronic channel. A representative signal model distribution is shown for the scalar mediator interaction with $(m_{\chi},m_{\phi})=(1,100)$GeV and couplings set to unity. The grey dashed area in the upper panel represents the total uncertainty in all of the backgrounds and the chosen signal model, while in the lower panel it represents only the total uncertainty in the backgrounds.
The post-fit $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ distribution of the $\geq 2$ b jet signal region in the all hadronic channel. A representative signal model distribution is shown for the scalar mediator interaction with $(m_{\chi},m_{\phi})=(1,100)$GeV and couplings set to unity. The grey dashed area in the upper panel represents the total uncertainty in all of the backgrounds and the chosen signal model, while in the lower panel it represents only the total uncertainty in the backgrounds.
A search is presented for hadronic signatures of beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, with an emphasis on signatures of a strongly-coupled hidden dark sector accessed via resonant production of a $Z'$ mediator. The ATLAS experiment dataset collected at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018 is used, consisting of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The $Z'$ mediator is considered to decay to two dark quarks, which each hadronize and decay to showers containing both dark and Standard Model particles, producing a topology of interacting and non-interacting particles within a jet known as ``semi-visible". Machine learning methods are used to select these dark showers and reject the dominant background of mismeasured multijet events, including an anomaly detection approach to preserve broad sensitivity to a variety of BSM topologies. A resonance search is performed by fitting the transverse mass spectrum based on a functional form background estimation. No significant excess over the expected background is observed. Results are presented as limits on the production cross section of semi-visible jet signals, parameterized by the fraction of invisible particles in the decay and the $Z'$ mass, and by quantifying the significance of any generic Gaussian-shaped mass peak in the anomaly region.
Acceptance times efficiency weighted yields across the signal grid.
The 95% CL limits on the cross-section $\sigma(pp \rightarrow Z' \rightarrow \chi \chi$) times branching ratio B in fb with all statistical and systematic uncertainties, for the $R_{\text{inv}}=$0.2 signal points.
The 95% CL limits on the cross-section $\sigma(pp \rightarrow Z' \rightarrow \chi \chi$) times branching ratio B in fb with all statistical and systematic uncertainties, for the $R_{\text{inv}}=$0.4 signal points.
A search for charged-lepton flavour violation (CLFV) in top quark (t) production and decay is presented. The search uses proton-proton collision data corresponding to 138 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The signal consists of the production of a single top quark via a CLFV interaction or top quark pair production followed by a CLFV decay. The analysis selects events containing a pair of oppositely charged muon and hadronically decaying $\tau$ lepton and at least three jets, where one has been identified to originate from the fragmentation of a bottom quark. Machine learning classification techniques are used to distinguish signal from standard model background events. The results of this search are consistent with the standard model expectations. The upper limits at 95% confidence level on the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}$ for CLFV top quark decays to a muon, a $\tau$ lepton, and an up or a charm quark are set at $\mathcal{B}$(t $\to \mu\tau$u) $\lt$ (0.040, 0.078, and 0.118) $\times$ 10$^{-6}$, and $\mathcal{B}$(t $\to\mu\tau$c) $\lt$ (0.810, 1.710, and 2.052) $\times$ 10$^{-6}$ for scalar, vector, and tensor-like operators, respectively.
The expected and observed upper limits on CLFV Wilson coefficients. The Limits on the Wilson coefficients are extracted from the upper limits on the cross sections.
The expected and observed upper limits on top quark CLFV branching fractions. The Limits on the top quark CLFV branching fractions are extracted from the upper limits on the Wilson coefficients.
A measurement of the WZ$γ$ triboson production cross section is presented. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis focuses on the final state with three charged leptons, $\ell^\pmν\ell^+\ell^-$, where $\ell$ = e or $μ$, accompanied by an additional photon. The observed (expected) significance of the WZ$γ$ signal is 5.4 (3.8) standard deviations. The cross section is measured in a fiducial region, where events with an $\ell$ originating from a tau lepton decay are excluded, to be 5.48 $\pm$ 1.11 fb, which is compatible with the prediction of 3.69 $\pm$ 0.24 fb at next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics. Exclusion limits are set on anomalous quartic gauge couplings and on the production cross sections of massive axion-like particles.
The distributions of the variables used in the simultaneous fit for the nonprompt $l$ CR. The black points with error bars represent the data and their statistical uncertainties, whereas the shaded band represents the predicted uncertainties. The bottom panel in each figure shows the ratio of the number of events observed in data to that of the total SM prediction. The last bin of each plot has been extended to include the overflow contribution.
The distributions of the variables used in the simultaneous fit for the nonprompt $\gamma$ CR. The black points with error bars represent the data and their statistical uncertainties, whereas the shaded band represents the predicted uncertainties. The bottom panel in each figure shows the ratio of the number of events observed in data to that of the total SM prediction. The last bin of each plot has been extended to include the overflow contribution.
The distributions of the variables used in the simultaneous fit for the ZZ CR. The black points with error bars represent the data and their statistical uncertainties, whereas the shaded band represents the predicted uncertainties. The bottom panel in each figure shows the ratio of the number of events observed in data to that of the total SM prediction. The last bin of each plot has been extended to include the overflow contribution.
A search is performed for long-lived heavy neutral leptons (HNLs), produced through the decay of a $W$ boson along with a muon or electron. Two channels are explored: a leptonic channel, in which the HNL decays into two leptons and a neutrino, and a semi-leptonic channel, in which the HNL decays into a lepton and a charged pion. The search is performed with 140~fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton--proton collision data collected by ATLAS during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No excess of events is observed; Dirac-like and Majorana-like HNLs with masses below 14.5 GeV and mixing coefficients as small as 10$^{-7}$ are excluded at the 95% confidence level. The results are interpreted under different assumptions on the flavour of the leptons from the HNL decays.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the fully leptonic MC samples. Different flavour combinations are shown.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the semi-leptonic MC samples. Different flavour combinations are shown.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the fully leptonic MC samples. Decays from HNLs are shown for $\mu\mu$ DVs for HNLs with various masses.
A search for cascade decays of charged sleptons and sneutrinos using final states characterized by three leptons (electrons or muons) and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on a dataset with 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This paper focuses on a supersymmetric scenario that is motivated by the muon anomalous magnetic moment observation, dark mattter relic density abundance, and electroweak naturalness. A mass spectrum involving light higgsinos and heavier sleptons with a bino at intermediate mass is targeted. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. This search enables to place stringent constraints on this model, excluding at the 95% confidence level charged slepton and sneutrino masses up to 450 GeV when assuming a lightest neutralino mass of 100 GeV and mass-degenerate selectrons, smuons and sneutrinos.
Distribution of $m_{3\ell}$ in SROS-on-$eee$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Distribution of $m_{3\ell}$ in SROS-on-$e\mu\mu$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Distribution of $E_{\text{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ in SROS-on-b-$eee$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
This paper presents the measurement of charged-hadron and identified-hadron ($K^\mathrm{0}_\mathrm{S}$, $Λ$, $Ξ^\mathrm{-}$) yields in photo-nuclear collisions using 1.7 $\mathrm{nb^{-1}}$ of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV Pb+Pb data collected in 2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Candidate photo-nuclear events are selected using a combination of tracking and calorimeter information, including the zero-degree calorimeter. The yields as a function of transverse momentum and rapidity are measured in these photo-nuclear collisions as a function of charged-particle multiplicity. These photo-nuclear results are compared with 0.1 $\mathrm{nb^{-1}}$ of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV $p$+Pb data collected in 2016 by ATLAS using similar charged-particle multiplicity selections. These photo-nuclear measurements shed light on potential quark-gluon plasma formation in photo-nuclear collisions via observables sensitive to radial flow, enhanced baryon-to-meson ratios, and strangeness enhancement. The results are also compared with the Monte Carlo DPMJET-III generator and hydrodynamic calculations to test whether such photo-nuclear collisions may produce small droplets of quark-gluon plasma that flow collectively.
The multiplicity distribution (#it{N}_{ch}^{rec}) from Pb+Pb photo-nuclear collisions.
The multiplicity distribution (#it{N}_{ch}^{rec}) from p+Pb collisions.
The Charged-hadron yields as a function of pT in different y selections in Pb+Pb photo-nuclear collisions.
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