A search for a heavy resonance decaying into a top quark and a W boson in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV is presented. The data analyzed were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The top quark is reconstructed as a single jet and the W boson, from its decay into an electron or muon and the corresponding neutrino. A top quark tagging technique based on jet clustering with a variable distance parameter and simultaneous jet grooming is used to identify jets from the collimated top quark decay. The results are interpreted in the context of two benchmark models, where the heavy resonance is either an excited bottom quark b$^*$ or a vector-like quark B. A statistical combination with an earlier search by the CMS Collaboration in the all-hadronic final state is performed to place upper cross section limits on these two models. The new analysis extends the lower range of resonance mass probed from 1.4 down to 0.7 TeV. For left-handed, right-handed, and vector-like couplings, b$^*$ masses up to 3.0, 3.0, and 3.2 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, respectively. The observed upper limits represent the most stringent constraints on the b$^*$ model to date.
Distributions of MtW in the 1b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Distributions of MtW in the 2b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction of the b* LH hypothesis at a 95% CL. Dashed colored lines show the expected limits from the l+jets and all-hadronic channels, where the latter start at resonance masses of 1.4 TeV. The observed and expected limits from the combination are shown as solid and dashed black lines, respectively. The green and yellow bands show the 68 and 95% confidence intervals on the combined expected limits.
A search for the pair production of heavy vector-like partners T and B of the top and bottom quarks has been performed by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC using proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The data sample was collected in 2016 and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. Final states studied for $\mathrm{T\overline{T}}$ production include those where one of the T quarks decays via T $\to$ tZ and the other via T $\to$ bW, tZ, or tH, where H is a Higgs boson. For the $\mathrm{B\overline{B}}$ case, final states include those where one of the B quarks decays via B $\to$ bZ and the other B $\to$ tW, bZ, or bH. Events with two oppositely charged electrons or muons, consistent with coming from the decay of a Z boson, and jets are investigated. The number of observed events is consistent with standard model background estimations. Lower limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the masses of the T and B quarks for a range of branching fractions. Assuming 100% branching fractions for T $\to$ tZ, and B $\to$ bZ, T and B quark mass values below 1280 and 1130 GeV, respectively, are excluded.
The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group A before fitting.
The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group A before fitting.
The $S_{\rm T}$ distribution for group B before fitting.
A search is presented for the single production of a heavy vector-like quark (B) decaying to a Higgs boson and a bottom quark, $\mathrm{B}\rightarrow\mathrm{H}\mathrm{b}$, with the Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks. The decay products of the Higgs boson are highly boosted, hence typically collimated. They are reconstructed as a single, massive jet, with heavy flavour content. The single production of vector-like quarks is characterised by the presence of a light flavour quark emitted in the forward region of the detector. The analysis is performed using a data sample collected in 2016 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13~\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $35.9~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The observation is consistent with background expectation and upper limits are placed on the production cross section times the branching ratio of a vector-like quark B decaying to a Higgs boson and a bottom quark. Values of cross section times branching ratio above $0.07$--$1.28~\mathrm{pb}$ are excluded at $95\%$ confidence level for masses of $700$--$1800~\mathrm{GeV}$, assuming a resonance with negligible width with respect to experimental resolution. Similar sensitivity is observed for different assumptions on the intrinsic width of the vector-like quark B.
Distribution in the reconstructed B quark mass after applying all selections to events with no forward jets and in the low mass analysis, compared to the background distributions estimated before fitting.
Distribution in the reconstructed B quark mass after applying all selections to events with at least one forward jet and in the low mass analysis, compared to the background distributions estimated before fitting.
Distribution in the reconstructed B quark mass after applying all selections to events with no forward jets and in the low mass analysis, compared to the background distributions estimated before fitting.
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