A search for pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying into a top quark and a $\tau$-lepton is presented. The search is based on a dataset of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. Events are selected if they have one light lepton (electron or muon) and at least one hadronically decaying $\tau$-lepton, or at least two light leptons. In addition, two or more jets, at least one of which must be identified as containing $b$-hadrons, are required. Six final states, defined by the multiplicity and flavour of lepton candidates, are considered in the analysis. Each of them is split into multiple event categories to simultaneously search for the signal and constrain several leading backgrounds. The signal-rich event categories require at least one hadronically decaying $\tau$-lepton candidate and exploit the presence of energetic final-state objects, which is characteristic of signal events. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed in any of the considered event categories, and 95% CL upper limits are set on the production cross section as a function of the leptoquark mass, for different assumptions about the branching fractions into $t\tau$ and $b\nu$. Scalar leptoquarks decaying exclusively into $t\tau$ are excluded up to masses of 1.43 TeV while, for a branching fraction of 50% into $t\tau$, the lower mass limit is 1.22 TeV.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over the seven signal regions as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{3}^{\mathrm{d}}}$, assuming B = 1.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over the seven signal regions as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{3}^{\mathrm{d}}}$, assuming B = 1.
Summary of the observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross section for $\mathrm{LQ}_{3}^{\mathrm{d}}$ pair production as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{3}^{\mathrm{d}}}$ under the assumptions of B=1.
A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into $te^- \bar{t}e^+$ or $t\mu^- \bar{t}\mu^+$ in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139~fb$^{-1}$. Events are selected with two or more light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a $b$-hadron. Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass. Under the assumption of exclusive decays into $te^{-}$ ($t\mu^{-}$), the corresponding lower limit on the scalar mixed-generation leptoquark mass $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}}$ is at 1.58 (1.59) TeV and on the vector leptoquark mass $m_{\tilde{U}_1}$ at 1.67 (1.67) TeV in the minimal coupling scenario and at 1.95 (1.95) TeV in the Yang-Mills scenario.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over two signal regions for the scalar leptoquark signals as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{mix}^{\mathrm{d}}}$, assuming B = 1.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over two signal regions for the vector leptoquark signals as a function of $m_{\tilde{U}_{1}}$, assuming B = 1 and Yang-Mills coupling scenario.
Summary of the observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross section for $\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}$ pair production as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}}$ under the assumptions of B(LQ$\rightarrow te$)=1.
A search is reported for excited $\tau$-leptons and leptoquarks in events with two hadronically decaying $\tau$-leptons and two or more jets. The search uses proton-proton (pp) collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment during the Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider in 2015-2018. The total integrated luminosity is 139 fb$^{-1}$. The excited $\tau$-lepton is assumed to be produced and to decay via a four-fermion contact interaction into an ordinary $\tau$-lepton and a quark-antiquark pair. The leptoquarks are assumed to be produced in pairs via the strong interaction, and each leptoquark is assumed to couple to a charm or lighter quark and a $\tau$-lepton. No excess over the background prediction is observed. Excited $\tau$-leptons with masses below 2.8 TeV are excluded at 95% CL in scenarios with the contact interaction scale $\Lambda$ set to 10 TeV. At the extreme limit of model validity where $\Lambda$ is set equal to the excited $\tau$-lepton mass, excited $\tau$-leptons with masses below 4.6 TeV are excluded. Leptoquarks with masses below 1.3 TeV are excluded at 95% CL if their branching ratio to a charm quark and a $\tau$-lepton equals 1. The analysis does not exploit flavour-tagging in the signal region.
Observed and expected upper 95% CL limit on the LQ production cross-section as a function of $m_\mathrm{LQ}$. The LQ couples to a tau lepton and a c-quark. The limits are also valid for scenarios in which the LQ couples to lighter quarks.
Cutflow for two representative signal samples used in this analysis. The excited tau mass $m_{\tau^\ast} = 2.75$ TeV and the contact interaction scale $\Lambda=10$ TeV. The LQ mass $m_\mathrm{LQ} = 1.3$ TeV. The event yields include all correction factors applied to simulation, and is normalised to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
Acceptance x efficiency of the LQ signal SR selection
An inclusive search for a new-physics signature of lepton-jet resonances has been performed by the ATLAS experiment. Scalar leptoquarks, pair-produced in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider, have been considered. An integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb$^{-1}$, corresponding to the full 2015 dataset was used. First (second) generation leptoquarks were sought in events with two electrons (muons) and two or more jets. The observed event yield in each channel is consistent with Standard Model background expectations. The observed (expected) lower limits on the leptoquark mass at 95% confidence level are 1100 GeV and 1050 GeV (1160 GeV and 1040 GeV) for first and second generation leptoquarks, respectively, assuming a branching ratio into a charged lepton and a quark of 100%. Upper limits on the aforementioned branching ratio are also given as a function of leptoquark mass. Compared with the results of earlier ATLAS searches, the sensitivity is increased for leptoquark masses above 860 GeV, and the observed exclusion limits confirm and extend the published results.
Normalisation factors for the main backgrounds obtained from the combined fit in each of the channels. The total uncertainty is given.
Search for the first generation leptoquarks (LQs). Event yields in the Z control region (CR), ttbar CR and in the signal region (SR). Each CR is treated as one bin in the profile likelihood fit. The SR is split to 7 bins according to $m_{\text{LQ}}^{\text{min}}$ for the fit. The table below shows the total number of events in each CR. For the SR, it shows the number of events per 100 GeV as a function of $m_{\text{LQ}}^{\text{min}}$. The background expectations are scaled by a scale factor extracted from the fit. However, the uncertainties shown are the pre-fit ones. The data event yield uncertainty is statistical (gaussian). The background uncertainty consists of all the experimental and theoretical components summed in quadrature. The uncertainty of the fit-extracted background scale factor is also added in quadrature.
Search for the second generation leptoquarks (LQs). Event yields in the Z control region (CR), ttbar CR and in the signal region (SR). Each CR is treated as one bin in the profile likelihood fit. The SR is split to 7 bins according to $m_{\text{LQ}}^{\text{min}}$ for the fit. The table below shows the total number of events in each CR. For the SR, it shows the number of events per 100 GeV as a function of $m_{\text{LQ}}^{\text{min}}$. The background expectations are scaled by a scale factor extracted from the fit. However, the uncertainties shown are the pre-fit ones. The data event yield uncertainty is statistical (gaussian). The background uncertainty consists of all the experimental and theoretical components summed in quadrature. The uncertainty of the fit-extracted background scale factor is also added in quadrature.
A search for direct pair production of scalar partners of the top quark (top squarks or scalar third-generation up-type leptoquarks) in the all-hadronic $t\bar{t}$ plus missing transverse momentum final state is presented. The analysis of 139 fb$^{-1}$ of ${\sqrt{s}=13}$ TeV proton-proton collision data collected using the ATLAS detector at the LHC yields no significant excess over the Standard Model background expectation. To interpret the results, a supersymmetric model is used where the top squark decays via $\tilde{t} \to t^{(*)} \tilde{\chi}^0_1$, with $t^{(*)}$ denoting an on-shell (off-shell) top quark and $\tilde{\chi}^0_1$ the lightest neutralino. Three specific event selections are optimised for the following scenarios. In the scenario where $m_{\tilde{t}}> m_t+m_{\tilde{\chi}^0_1}$, top squark masses are excluded in the range 400-1250 GeV for $\tilde{\chi}^0_1$ masses below $200$ GeV at 95 % confidence level. In the situation where $m_{\tilde{t}}\sim m_t+m_{\tilde{\chi}^0_1}$, top squark masses in the range 300-630 GeV are excluded, while in the case where $m_{\tilde{t}}< m_W+m_b+m_{\tilde{\chi}^0_1}$ (with $m_{\tilde{t}}-m_{\tilde{\chi}^0_1}\ge 5$ GeV), considered for the first time in an ATLAS all-hadronic search, top squark masses in the range 300-660 GeV are excluded. Limits are also set for scalar third-generation up-type leptoquarks, excluding leptoquarks with masses below $1240$ GeV when considering only leptoquark decays into a top quark and a neutrino.
The observed exclusion contour at 95% CL as a function of the $\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}$ vs. $\mathrm{BR}(\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}\rightarrow b \tau)$. Points that are within the contours are excluded.
The observed exclusion contour at 95% CL as a function of the $\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}$ vs. $\mathrm{BR}(\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}\rightarrow b \tau)$. Points that are within the contours are excluded.
The expected exclusion contour at 95% CL as a function of the $\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}$ vs. $\mathrm{BR}(\it{m}_{LQ_{3}^{u}}\rightarrow b \tau)$. Points that are within the contours are excluded.