Search for heavy neutral resonances decaying to tau lepton pairs in proton-proton collisions at √=13  TeV

Abstract

A search for heavy neutral gauge bosons (′) decaying into a pair of tau leptons is performed in proton-proton collisions at √ =13  TeV at the CERN LHC. The data were collected with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb−1. The observations are found to be in agreement with the expectation from standard model processes. Limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the ′ production cross section and its branching fraction to tau lepton pairs for a range of ′ boson masses. For a narrow resonance in the sequential standard model scenario, a ′ boson with a mass below 3.5 TeV is excluded. This is the most stringent limit to date from this type of search.Godkänd;2025;Nivå 0;2025-07-09 (u8);For funding information please see: https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.111.112004;Full text license: CC BY</p