A search for new phenomena in final states with hadronically decaying tau leptons, $b$-jets, and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analyzed dataset comprises $pp$~collision data at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt s = 13$ TeV with an integrated luminosity of 139/fb, delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018. The observed data are compatible with the expected Standard Model background. The results are interpreted in simplified models for two different scenarios. The first model is based on supersymmetry and considers pair production of top squarks, each of which decays into a $b$-quark, a neutrino and a tau slepton. Each tau slepton in turn decays into a tau lepton and a nearly massless gravitino. Within this model, top-squark masses up to 1.4 TeV can be excluded at the 95% confidence level over a wide range of tau-slepton masses. The second model considers pair production of leptoquarks with decays into third-generation leptons and quarks. Depending on the branching fraction into charged leptons, leptoquarks with masses up to around 1.25 TeV can be excluded at the 95% confidence level for the case of scalar leptoquarks and up to 1.8 TeV (1.5 TeV) for vector leptoquarks in a Yang--Mills (minimal-coupling) scenario. In addition, model-independent upper limits are set on the cross section of processes beyond the Standard Model.
Relative systematic uncertainties in the estimated number of background events in the signal regions. In the lower part of the table, a breakdown of the total uncertainty into different categories is given. For the multi-bin SR, the breakdown refers to the integral over all three $p_{\text{T}}(\tau)$ bins. As the individual uncertainties are correlated, they do not add in quadrature to equal the total background uncertainty.
Distributions of $m_{\text{T}2}(\tau_{1},\tau_{2})$ in the di-tau SR. The stacked histograms show the various SM background contributions. The hatched band indicates the total statistical and systematic uncertainty of the SM background. The $t\bar{t}$ (2 real $\tau$) and $t\bar{t}$ (1 real $\tau$) as well as the single-top background contributions are scaled with the normalization factors obtained from the background-only fit. Minor backgrounds are grouped together and denoted as 'Other'. This includes $t\bar{t}$-fake, single top, and other top (di-tau channel) or $t\bar{t}$-fake, $t\bar{t}+H$, multiboson, and other top (single-tau channel). The overlaid dotted lines show the additional contributions for signal scenarios close to the expected exclusion contour with the particle type and the mass and $\beta$ parameters for the simplified models indicated in the legend. For the leptoquark signal model the shapes of the distributions for $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{d}}$ and $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{v}}$ (not shown) are similar to that of $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{u}}$. The rightmost bin includes the overflow.
Distributions of $E_{\text{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ in the di-tau SR. The stacked histograms show the various SM background contributions. The hatched band indicates the total statistical and systematic uncertainty of the SM background. The $t\bar{t}$ (2 real $\tau$) and $t\bar{t}$ (1 real $\tau$) as well as the single-top background contributions are scaled with the normalization factors obtained from the background-only fit. Minor backgrounds are grouped together and denoted as 'Other'. This includes $t\bar{t}$-fake, single top, and other top (di-tau channel) or $t\bar{t}$-fake, $t\bar{t}+H$, multiboson, and other top (single-tau channel). The overlaid dotted lines show the additional contributions for signal scenarios close to the expected exclusion contour with the particle type and the mass and $\beta$ parameters for the simplified models indicated in the legend. For the leptoquark signal model the shapes of the distributions for $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{d}}$ and $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{v}}$ (not shown) are similar to that of $\text{LQ}_{3}^{\text{u}}$. The rightmost bin includes the overflow.
This search, a type not previously performed at ATLAS, uses a comparison of the production cross sections for $e^+ \mu^-$ and $e^- \mu^+$ pairs to constrain physics processes beyond the Standard Model. It uses $139 \text{fb}^{-1}$ of proton$-$proton collision data recorded at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV at the LHC. Targeting sources of new physics which prefer final states containing $e^{+}\mu^{-}$ to $e^{-}\mu^{+}$, the search contains two broad signal regions which are used to provide model-independent constraints on the ratio of cross sections at the 2% level. The search also has two special selections targeting supersymmetric models and leptoquark signatures. Observations using one of these selections are able to exclude, at 95% confidence level, singly produced smuons with masses up to 640 GeV in a model in which the only other light sparticle is a neutralino when the $R$-parity-violating coupling $\lambda'_{231}$ is close to unity. Observations using the other selection exclude scalar leptoquarks with masses below 1880 GeV when $g_{\text{1R}}^{eu}=g_{\text{1R}}^{\mu c}=1$, at 95% confidence level. The limit on the coupling reduces to $g_{\text{1R}}^{eu}=g_{\text{1R}}^{\mu c}=0.46$ for a mass of 1420 GeV.
Observed yields, and (post-fit) expected yields for the data-driven SM estimates. Yields are shown for the benchmark RPV-supersymmetry signal points in SR-RPV and the leptoquark signal points in SR-LQ after a fit excluding the $e^{+}\mu^{-}$ signal region and setting $\mu_{\text{sig}}=1$. Small weights correcting for muon charge biases affect all rows except that containing the fake-lepton estimate. These weights, $w_i$, cause non-integer yields. The uncertainties, $\sqrt{\sum_i w_i^2}$, are given for data to support the choice made to model the yields with a Poisson distribution.
The observed exclusion contour at 95% CL as a function of the smuon and neutralino masses, for $\lambda_{231}^{'}=1.0$.
The expected exclusion contour at 95% CL as a function of the smuon and neutralino masses, for $\lambda_{231}^{'}=1.0$.
A search is presented for a heavy resonance $Y$ decaying into a Standard Model Higgs boson $H$ and a new particle $X$ in a fully hadronic final state. The full Large Hadron Collider Run 2 dataset of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018 is used, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The search targets the high $Y$-mass region, where the $H$ and $X$ have a significant Lorentz boost in the laboratory frame. A novel signal region is implemented using anomaly detection, where events are selected solely because of their incompatibility with a learned background-only model. It is defined using a jet-level tagger for signal-model-independent selection of the boosted $X$ particle, representing the first application of fully unsupervised machine learning to an ATLAS analysis. Two additional signal regions are implemented to target a benchmark $X$ decay into two quarks, covering topologies where the $X$ is reconstructed as either a single large-radius jet or two small-radius jets. The analysis selects Higgs boson decays into $b\bar{b}$, and a dedicated neural-network-based tagger provides sensitivity to the boosted heavy-flavor topology. No significant excess of data over the expected background is observed, and the results are presented as upper limits on the production cross section $\sigma(pp \rightarrow Y \rightarrow XH \rightarrow q\bar{q}b\bar{b}$) for signals with $m_Y$ between 1.5 and 6 TeV and $m_X$ between 65 and 3000 GeV.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in anomaly signal region.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in anomaly signal region.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in merged two-prong signal region.
A search is made for a vector-like $T$ quark decaying into a Higgs boson and a top quark in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The Higgs-boson and top-quark candidates are identified in the all-hadronic decay mode, where $H\to b\bar{b}$ and $t\to b W \to b q \bar{q}^\prime$ are reconstructed as large-radius jets. The candidate Higgs boson, top quark, and associated B-hadrons are identified using tagging algorithms. No significant excess is observed above the background, so limits are set on the production cross-section of a singlet $T$ quark at 95% confidence level, depending on the mass, $m_T$, and coupling, $\kappa_T$, of the vector-like $T$ quark to Standard Model particles. In the considered mass range between 1.0 and 2.3 TeV, the upper limit on the allowed coupling values increases with $m_T$ from a minimum value of 0.35 for 1.07 < $m_T$ < 1.4 TeV to 1.6 for $m_T$ = 2.3 TeV.
Dijet invariant mass distribution for the $SR$ showing the results of the model when fitted to the data. A $T$-quark hypothesis with $m_{T} = 1.6$ TeV and $\kappa_{T} = 0.5$ is used in the fit.
Dijet invariant mass distribution for the $ttNR$ showing the results of the model when fitted to the data. A $T$-quark hypothesis with $m_{T} = 1.6$ TeV and $\kappa_{T} = 0.5$ is used in the fit.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the single $T$-quark coupling $\kappa_{T}$ as a function of $m_{T}$ are shown.
A search optimized for new heavy particles decaying to two $b$-quarks and produced in association with additional $b$-quarks is reported. The sensitivity is improved by $b$-tagging at least one lower-$p_{\rm{T}}$ jet in addition to the two highest-$p_{\rm{T}}$ jets. The data used in this search correspond to an integrated luminosity of 103 $\text{fb}^{-1}$ collected with a dedicated trijet trigger during the 2017 and 2018 $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collision runs with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search looks for resonant peaks in the $b$-tagged dijet invariant mass spectrum over a smoothly falling background. The background is estimated with an innovative data-driven method based on orthonormal functions. The observed $b$-tagged dijet invariant mass spectrum is compatible with the background-only hypothesis. Upper limits at 95% confidence level on a heavy vector-boson production cross section times branching ratio to a pair of $b$-quarks are derived.
Background estimate from the FD method with N=3 and data in the SR.
The observed (solid) and expected (dashed) 95% CL upper limits on the production of $Z' \to b\bar{b}$ in association with b-quarks.
Acceptance and Acceptance times efficiency for the LUV Z' model.
A search is presented for direct top-squark pair production in final states with two leptons (electrons or muons) of opposite charge using 20.3fb-1 of pp collision data at sqrt(s)=8TeV, collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. No excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. The results are interpreted under the separate assumptions (i) that the top squark decays to a b-quark in addition to an on-shell chargino whose decay occurs via a real or virtual W boson, or (ii) that the top squark decays to a t-quark and the lightest neutralino. A top squark with a mass between 150 GeV and 445 GeV decaying to a b-quark and an on-shell chargino is excluded at 95% confidence level for a top squark mass equal to the chargino mass plus 10 GeV, in the case of a 1 GeV lightest neutralino. Top squarks with masses between 215 (90) GeV and 530 (170) GeV decaying to an on-shell (off-shell) t-quark and a neutralino are excluded at 95% confidence level for a 1 GeV neutralino.
Distribution of mT2 for events passing all the signal candidate selection requirements, except that on mT2 of the L90 and L120 selections, for SF events.
Distribution of mT2 for events passing all the signal candidate selection requirements, except that on mT2 of the L90 and L120 selections, for DF events.
Distribution of mT2 for events passing all the signal candidate selection requirements, except that on mT2 of the L100 selection, for SF events.
Searches are performed for resonant and non-resonant Higgs boson pair production in the $\gamma\gamma b\bar{b}$ final state using 20 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. A 95% confidence level upper limit on the cross section times branching ratio of non-resonant production is set at 2.2 pb, while the expected limit is 1.0 pb. The difference derives from a modest excess of events, corresponding to 2.4 standard deviations from the background-only hypothesis. The limit observed in the search for a narrow $X \to hh$ resonance ranges between 0.7 and 3.5 pb as a function of the resonance mass.
The observed and expected limit on non-resonant Higgs boson pair production, measured in the GAMMA GAMMA B BBAR final state.
A 95% CL upper limit on the cross section times branching ratio of a narrow resonance decaying to pairs of Higgs bosons as a function of MX (see text for more details). The measurement is made in the GAMMA GAMMA B BBAR final state.
A search has been performed, using the full 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ data sample of 8 TeV proton--proton collisions collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, for photons originating from a displaced vertex due to the decay of a neutral long-lived particle into a photon and an invisible particle. The analysis investigates the diphoton plus missing transverse momentum final state, and is therefore most sensitive to pair-production of long-lived particles. The analysis technique exploits the capabilities of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter to make precise measurements of the flight direction, as well as the time of flight, of photons. No excess is observed over the Standard Model predictions for background. Exclusion limits are set within the context of Gauge Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking models, with the lightest neutralino being the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle and decaying into a photon and gravitino with a lifetime in the range from 250 ps to about 100 ns.
Observed CLs contour in the GMSB (LAMBDA, TAU(NEUTRALINO) ) signal space.
Observed CLs contour with minus 1-sigma in the GMSB (LAMBDA, TAU(NEUTRALINO) ) signal space.
Observed CLs contour with plus 1-sigma in the GMSB (LAMBDA, TAU(NEUTRALINO) ) signal space.
A search for scalar particles decaying via narrow resonances into two photons in the mass range $65-600$ GeV is performed using 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV $pp$ collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The recently discovered Higgs boson is treated as a background. No significant evidence for an additional signal is observed. The results are presented as limits at the 95 % confidence level on the production cross-section of a scalar boson times branching ratio into two photons, in a fiducial volume where the reconstruction efficiency is approximately independent of the event topology. The upper limits set extend over a considerably wider mass range than previous searches.
The measured fiducial cross section limit.
The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of $20.1 \rm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ or $\tilde{t}\rightarrow b\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm} \rightarrow b W^{\left(\ast\right)} \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$, where $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ ($\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$. For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270-645 GeV are excluded for $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ or $\tilde{t}\rightarrow b\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$, and assuming the $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$ mass to be twice the $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ mass, top squark masses in the range 250-550 GeV are excluded for $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ masses below 60 GeV.
Etmiss distribution for SRA1 and SRA2 after all selection requirements except those on Etmiss.
Etmiss distribution for SRA3 and SRA4 after all selection requirements except those on Etmiss.
Etmiss distribution for SRB after all selection requirements except those on Etmiss.
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