Search for single production of vector-like quarks decaying to a top quark and a W boson in proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

• Main Authors: Sirunyan, A. M., Tumasyan, A. R., Adam, Wolfgang, Asilar, Ece, Bergauer, Thomas, Md. Ali, Mohd. Adli
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: Springer Nature 2019
• Subjects: Q Science (General); QC Physics
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/71634/1/71634_Search%20for%20single%20production%20of%20vector-like%20quarks_article.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/71634/2/71634_Search%20for%20single%20production%20of%20vector-like%20quarks_wos.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/71634/3/71634_Search%20for%20single%20production%20of%20vector-like%20quarks_scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/71634/; https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1140%2Fepjc%2Fs10052-019-6556-3.pdf

A search is presented for the single production of vector-like quarks in proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1, were recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis focuses on the vector-like quark decay into a top quark and a W boson, with one muon or electron in the final state. The mass of the vector-like quark candidate is reconstructed from hadronic jets, the lepton, and the missing transverse momentum. Methods for the identification of b quarks and of highly Lorentz boosted hadronically decaying top quarks and W bosons are exploited in this search. No significant deviation from the standard model background expectation is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction as a function of the vector-like quark mass, which range from 0.3 to 0.03 pb for vector-like quark masses of 700 to 2000 GeV. Mass exclusion limits up to 1660 GeV are obtained, depending on the vector-like quark type, coupling, and decay width. These represent the most stringent exclusion limits for the single production of vectorlike quarks in this channel.