Search for same-charge top-quark pair production in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
CERN-EP-2024-226, 2024.
Inspire Record 2832100 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.155341

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.

15 data tables

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.

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Measurement of top-quark pair production in association with charm quarks in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 860 (2025) 139177, 2025.
Inspire Record 2829504 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.154444

Inclusive cross-sections for top-quark pair production in association with charm quarks are measured with proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. The measurements are performed by requiring one or two charged leptons (electrons and muons), two $b$-tagged jets, and at least one additional jet in the final state. A custom flavor-tagging algorithm is employed for the simultaneous identification of $b$-jets and $c$-jets. In a fiducial phase space that replicates the acceptance of the ATLAS detector, the cross-sections for $t\bar{t}+ {\geq} 2c$ and $t\bar{t}+1c$ production are measured to be $1.28^{+0.27}_{-0.24}\;\text{pb}$ and $6.4^{+1.0}_{-0.9}\;\text{pb}$, respectively. The measurements are primarily limited by uncertainties in the modeling of inclusive $t\bar{t}$ and $t\bar{t}+b\bar{b}$ production, in the calibration of the flavor-tagging algorithm, and by data statistics. Cross-section predictions from various $t\bar{t}$ simulations are largely consistent with the measured cross-section values, though all underpredict the observed values by 0.5 to 2.0 standard deviations. In a phase-space volume without requirements on the $t\bar{t}$ decay products and the jet multiplicity, the cross-section ratios of $t\bar{t}+ {\geq} 2c$ and $t\bar{t}+1c$ to total $t\bar{t}+\text{jets}$ production are determined to be $(1.23 \pm 0.25) \%$ and $(8.8 \pm 1.3) \%$.

22 data tables

Measured cross-section values in the fiducial phase space and inclusive volume for the various $t\bar{t}+jets$ categories.

Post-fit agreement between data and MC prediction for $SR_{\mathrm{loose}}^{1\ell5j}$ signal region, which uses the invariant mass of the two geometrically closest c-tagged jets, $m_{\mathit{cc}}^{\mathrm{min}\Delta R}$, as an observable. The hatched uncertainty bands include all uncertainties and their correlations. The last bins contain overflow events. "Other Top" includes single-top-quark production and associated production of $t\bar{t}$ and single top quarks with bosons. "Non-Top" includes W+jets, Z+jets, and diboson processes.

Post-fit agreement between data and MC prediction for the $SR_{\mathrm{tight}}^{1\ell5j}$ signal region, which uses the invariant mass of the two geometrically closest jets tagged with c@11%, $m_{\mathit{cc}}^{\mathrm{min}\Delta R}$, as an observable. The hatched uncertainty bands include all uncertainties and their correlations. The last bins contain overflow events. "Other Top" includes single-top-quark production and associated production of $t\bar{t}$ and single top quarks with bosons. "Non-Top" includes W+jets, Z+jets, and diboson processes.

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Search for heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos in the decay of top quarks produced in proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
Phys.Rev.D 110 (2024) 112004, 2024.
Inspire Record 2816994 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.155342

A search for heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos is performed with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, using the 140 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected during Run 2. This search targets $t\bar{t}$ production, in which both top quarks decay into a bottom quark and a $W$ boson, where one of the $W$ bosons decays hadronically and the other decays into an electron or muon and a heavy neutral lepton. The heavy neutral lepton is identified through a decay into an electron or muon and another $W$ boson, resulting in a pair of same-charge same-flavor leptons in the final state. This paper presents the first search for heavy neutral leptons in the mass range of 15-75 GeV using $t\bar{t}$ events. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation, and upper limits are placed on the signal cross-sections. Assuming a benchmark scenario of the phenomenological type-I seesaw model, these cross-section limits are then translated into upper limits on the mixing parameters of the heavy Majorana neutrino with Standard Model neutrinos.

8 data tables

Definitions of different signal and control regions. The control regions are enriched in events from the following processes. ttW, heavy-flavor (HF) fake, photon-conversion (PC), and charge-flip (CF). The 'Z veto' is defined as $m_{ee}$ not in [$m_Z$ - 10 GeV, $m_Z$ + 10 GeV].

Post-fit event yields for the different background processes in the signal regions, as obtained from the background-only fit in the high-mass region.

Expected and observed upper limits on the signal cross-sections at 95% CL.

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Observation of $t\bar{t}$ production in the lepton+jets and dilepton channels in $p$+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=8.16$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
JHEP 11 (2024) 101, 2024.
Inspire Record 2784411 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.153893

This paper reports the observation of top-quark pair production in proton-lead collisions in the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is performed using 165 nb$^{-1}$ of $p$+Pb data collected at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=8.16$ TeV in 2016. Events are categorised in two analysis channels, consisting of either events with exactly one lepton (electron or muon) and at least four jets, or events with two opposite-charge leptons and at least two jets. In both channels at least one $b$-tagged jet is also required. Top-quark pair production is observed with a significance over five standard deviations in each channel. The top-quark pair production cross-section is measured to be $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}= 58.1\pm 2.0\;\mathrm{(stat.)\;^{+4.8}_{-4.4} \;\mathrm{(syst.)}}\;\mathrm{nb}$, with a total uncertainty of 9%. In addition, the nuclear modification factor is measured to be $R_{p\mathrm{A}} = 1.090\pm0.039\;(\mathrm{stat.})\;^{+0.094}_{-0.087}\;(\mathrm{syst.})$. The measurements are found to be in good agreement with theory predictions involving nuclear parton distribution functions.

18 data tables

The figure shows the pre-fit distribution of events as a function of $H_{\mathrm{T}}^{\ell,j} = \sum_{\ell,j} p_{T}^{\ell,j}$, scalar sum of $p_T$ for all jets and leptons in the $\ell+$jets channel, in proton-lead (p+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 8.16$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 165 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the $1\ell 1b$ $e$+jets channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield, including top quark pair production ($t\bar{t}$), single top, $W$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, $Z$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, diboson, and fake lepton backgrounds.

The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of $H_{\mathrm{T}}^{\ell,j} = \sum_{\ell,j} p_{T}^{\ell,j}$, scalar sum of $p_T$ for all jets and leptons in the $\ell+$jets channel, in proton-lead (p+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 8.16$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 165 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the $1\ell 1b$ $e$+jets channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield, including top quark pair production ($t\bar{t}$), single top, $W$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, $Z$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, diboson, and fake lepton backgrounds.

The figure shows the pre-fit distribution of events as a function of $H_{\mathrm{T}}^{\ell,j} = \sum_{\ell,j} p_{T}^{\ell,j}$, scalar sum of $p_T$ for all jets and leptons in the $\ell+$jets channel, in proton-lead (p+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 8.16$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 165 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the $1\ell 1b$ $\mu$+jets channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield, including top quark pair production ($t\bar{t}$), single top, $W$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, $Z$ boson production with $b$, $c$, and light quarks, diboson, and fake lepton backgrounds.

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Measurements of the production cross-section for a $Z$ boson in association with $b$- or $c$-jets in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 84 (2024) 984, 2024.
Inspire Record 2771257 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.151815

This paper presents a measurement of the production cross-section of a $Z$ boson in association with $b$- or $c$-jets, in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. Inclusive and differential cross-sections are measured for events containing a $Z$ boson decaying into electrons or muons and produced in association with at least one $b$-jet, at least one $c$-jet, or at least two $b$-jets with transverse momentum $p_\textrm{T} > 20$ GeV and rapidity $|y| < 2.5$. Predictions from several Monte Carlo generators based on next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced with a parton-shower simulation, with different choices of flavour schemes for initial-state partons, are compared with the measured cross-sections. The results are also compared with novel predictions, based on infrared and collinear safe jet flavour dressing algorithms. Selected $Z + \ge 1 c$-jet observables, optimized for sensitivity to intrinsic-charm, are compared with benchmark models with different intrinsic-charm fractions.

29 data tables

Figure 6(left) of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 1 $ b-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.

Figure 6(right) of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 2 $ b-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.

Figure 7 of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 1 $ c-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.

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Measurements of inclusive and differential cross-sections of $t\bar{t}\gamma$ production in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Aakvaag, Erlend ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; et al.
JHEP 10 (2024) 191, 2024.
Inspire Record 2768921 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.146899

Inclusive and differential cross-sections are measured at particle level for the associated production of a top quark pair and a photon ($t\bar{t}\gamma$). The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector. The measurements are performed in the single-lepton and dilepton top quark pair decay channels focusing on $t\bar{t}\gamma$ topologies where the photon is radiated from an initial-state parton or one of the top quarks. The absolute and normalised differential cross-sections are measured for several variables characterising the photon, lepton and jet kinematics as well as the angular separation between those objects. The observables are found to be in good agreement with the Monte Carlo predictions. The photon transverse momentum differential distribution is used to set limits on effective field theory parameters related to the electroweak dipole moments of the top quark. The combined limits using the photon and the $Z$ boson transverse momentum measured in $t\bar{t}$ production in associations with a $Z$ boson are also set.

71 data tables

All the entries of this HEP data record are listed. Figure and Table numbers are the same as in the paper.

Measured $t\bar{t}\gamma$ production fiducial inclusive cross-sections in both decay channels and in the combination.

Summary of the impact of the systematic uncertainties on the $t\bar{t}\gamma$ production fiducial inclusive cross-section in the single-lepton and dilepton channels and their combination grouped into different categories. The quoted relative uncertainties are obtained by repeating the fit, fixing a set of nuisance parameters of the sources corresponding to each category to their post-fit values, and subtracting in quadrature the resulting uncertainty from the total uncertainty of the nominal fit. The total uncertainty is different from the sum in quadrature of the components due to correlations among nuisance parameters.

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A precise measurement of the Z-boson double-differential transverse momentum and rapidity distributions in the full phase space of the decay leptons with the ATLAS experiment at $\sqrt s$ = 8 TeV

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abeling, Kira ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 84 (2024) 315, 2024.
Inspire Record 2698794 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.144246

This paper presents for the first time a precise measurement of the production properties of the Z boson in the full phase space of the decay leptons. This is in contrast to the many previous precise unfolded measurements performed in the fiducial phase space of the decay leptons. The measurement is obtained from proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2012 at $\sqrt s$ = 8 TeV at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb$^{-1}$. The results, based on a total of 15.3 million Z-boson decays to electron and muon pairs, extend and improve a previous measurement of the full set of angular coefficients describing Z-boson decay. The double-differential cross-section distributions in Z-boson transverse momentum p$_T$ and rapidity y are measured in the pole region, defined as 80 $<$ m $<$ 100 GeV, over the range $|y| <$ 3.6. The total uncertainty of the normalised cross-section measurements in the peak region of the p$_T$ distribution is dominated by statistical uncertainties over the full range and increases as a function of rapidity from 0.5-1.0% for $|y| <$ 2.0 to 2-7% at higher rapidities. The results for the rapidity-dependent transverse momentum distributions are compared to state-of-the-art QCD predictions, which combine in the best cases approximate N$^4$LL resummation with N$^3$LO fixed-order perturbative calculations. The differential rapidity distributions integrated over p$_T$ are even more precise, with accuracies from 0.2-0.3% for $|y| <$ 2.0 to 0.4-0.9% at higher rapidities, and are compared to fixed-order QCD predictions using the most recent parton distribution functions. The agreement between data and predictions is quite good in most cases.

10 data tables

Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for |y| < 0.4.

Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for 0.4 < |y| < 0.8.

Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for 0.8 < |y| < 1.2.

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Measurement of the $t\bar{t}$ cross section and its ratio to the $Z$ production cross section using $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13.6$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abeling, Kira ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 848 (2024) 138376, 2024.
Inspire Record 2689657 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.143515

The inclusive top-quark-pair production cross section $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}$ and its ratio to the $Z$-boson production cross section have been measured in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13.6$ TeV, using 29 fb${}^{-1}$ of data collected in 2022 with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Using events with an opposite-charge electron-muon pair and $b$-tagged jets, and assuming Standard Model decays, the top-quark-pair production cross section is measured to be $\sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 850 \pm 3\mathrm{(stat.)}\pm 18\mathrm{(syst.)}\pm 20\mathrm{(lumi.)}$ pb. The ratio of the $t\bar{t}$ and the $Z$-boson production cross sections is also measured, where the $Z$-boson contribution is determined for inclusive $e^+e^-$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$ events in a fiducial phase space. The relative uncertainty on the ratio is reduced compared to the $t\bar{t}$ cross section, thanks to the cancellation of several systematic uncertainties. The result for the ratio, $R_{t\bar{t}/Z} = 1.145 \pm 0.003\mathrm{(stat.)}\pm 0.021\mathrm{(syst.)}\pm 0.002\mathrm{(lumi.)}$ is consistent with the Standard Model prediction using the PDF4LHC21 PDF set.

8 data tables

The fiducial phase-space definition for the $Z$-boson measurement. Born-level leptons are used.

The measured $t\bar{t}$ cross section and the ratio of the cross sections of $t\bar{t}$ and the $Z$-boson. Full phase-space is considered for $t\bar{t}$, while fiducial phase-space is considered for the $Z$-boson.

Table with pre-fit yields in the four regions used in the measurement

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Observation of four-top-quark production in the multilepton final state with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abeling, Kira ; et al.
Eur.Phys.J.C 83 (2023) 496, 2023.
Inspire Record 2648095 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.140801

This paper presents the observation of four-top-quark ($t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$) production in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected using the ATLAS detector. Events containing two leptons with the same electric charge or at least three leptons (electrons or muons) are selected. Event kinematics are used to separate signal from background through a multivariate discriminant, and dedicated control regions are used to constrain the dominant backgrounds. The observed (expected) significance of the measured $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ signal with respect to the standard model (SM) background-only hypothesis is 6.1 (4.3) standard deviations. The $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production cross section is measured to be $22.5^{+6.6}_{-5.5}$ fb, consistent with the SM prediction of $12.0 \pm 2.4$ fb within 1.8 standard deviations. Data are also used to set limits on the three-top-quark production cross section, being an irreducible background not measured previously, and to constrain the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and effective field theory operator coefficients that affect $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production.

27 data tables

Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{+}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.

Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{-}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.

Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR 1b(+). The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.

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Inclusive-photon production and its dependence on photon isolation in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt s=13$ TeV using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of ATLAS data

The ATLAS collaboration Aad, Georges ; Abbott, Braden Keim ; Abeling, Kira ; et al.
JHEP 07 (2023) 086, 2023.
Inspire Record 2628741 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.134100

Measurements of differential cross sections are presented for inclusive isolated-photon production in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV provided by the LHC and using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of data recorded by the ATLAS experiment. The cross sections are measured as functions of the photon transverse energy in different regions of photon pseudorapidity. The photons are required to be isolated by means of a fixed-cone method with two different cone radii. The dependence of the inclusive-photon production on the photon isolation is investigated by measuring the fiducial cross sections as functions of the isolation-cone radius and the ratios of the differential cross sections with different radii in different regions of photon pseudorapidity. The results presented in this paper constitute an improvement with respect to those published by ATLAS earlier: the measurements are provided for different isolation radii and with a more granular segmentation in photon pseudorapidity that can be exploited in improving the determination of the proton parton distribution functions. These improvements provide a more in-depth test of the theoretical predictions. Next-to-leading-order QCD predictions from JETPHOX and SHERPA and next-to-next-to-leading-order QCD predictions from NNLOJET are compared to the measurements, using several parameterisations of the proton parton distribution functions. The measured cross sections are well described by the fixed-order QCD predictions within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties in most of the investigated phase-space region.

48 data tables

Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $|\eta^{\gamma}|<0.6$ and photon isolation cone radius $R=0.4$.

Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $0.6<|\eta^{\gamma}|<0.8$ and photon isolation cone radius $R=0.4$.

Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $0.8<|\eta^{\gamma}|<1.37$ and photon isolation cone radius $R=0.4$.

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