Higgsinos with masses near the electroweak scale can solve the hierarchy problem and provide a dark matter candidate, while detecting them at the LHC remains challenging if their mass splitting is $\mathcal{O}(1 \text{GeV})$. This Letter presents a novel search for nearly mass-degenerate Higgsinos in events with an energetic jet, missing transverse momentum, and a low-momentum track with a significant transverse impact parameter using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment. For the first time since LEP, a range of mass splittings between the lightest charged and neutral Higgsinos from $0.3$ GeV to $0.9$ GeV is excluded at 95$\%$ confidence level, with a maximum reach of approximately $170$ GeV in the Higgsino mass.
Expected and observed CLs values per signal point represented by the grey numbers. The expected (dashed) and observed (solid) 95% CL exclusion limits are overlaid along with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{exp}}$ (yellow band) from experimental systematic and statistical uncertainties, and with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{theory}}^{\mathrm{SUSY}}$ (red dotted lines) from signal cross-section uncertainties, respectively.
Expected and observed CLs values per signal point represented by the grey numbers. The expected (dashed) and observed (solid) 95% CL exclusion limits are overlaid along with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{exp}}$ (yellow band) from experimental systematic and statistical uncertainties, and with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{theory}}^{\mathrm{SUSY}}$ (red dotted lines) from signal cross-section uncertainties, respectively.
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>
Observed exclusion limit $(+1\sigma)$ at 95% CL for pair production of top squarks decaying to charm quarks and neutralinos when only considering SR-HM2.
Acceptance across the $\mathrm{LQ}^\mathrm{u}_{22}$ signal grid for SR-HM1.
Forum