Accuracy versus precision in boosted top tagging with the ATLAS detector

Abstract The identification of top quark decays where the top quark has a large momentum transverse to the beam axis, known as top tagging, is a crucial component in many measurements of Standard Model processes and searches for beyond the Standard Model physics at the Large Hadron Collider. Machine learning techniques have improved the performance of top tagging algorithms, but the size of the systematic uncertainties for all proposed algorithms has not been systematically studied. This paper presents the performance of several machine learning based top tagging algorithms on a dataset constructed from simulated proton-proton collision events measured with the ATLAS detector at √ s = 13 TeV. The systematic uncertainties associated with these algorithms are estimated through an approximate procedure that is not meant to be used in a physics analysis, but is appropriate for the level of precision required for this study. The most performant algorithms are found to have the largest uncertainties, motivating the development of methods to reduce these uncertainties without compromising performance. To enable such efforts in the wider scientific community, the datasets used in this paper are made publicly available.</jats:p

Measurement of vector boson production cross sections and their ratios using pp collisions at <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" altimg="si1.svg"><mml:msqrt><mml:mrow><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msqrt><mml:mo linebreak="goodbreak" linebreakstyle="after">=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13.6</mml:mn></mml:math> TeV with the ATLAS detector

Fiducial and total W± and Z boson cross sections, their ratios and the ratio of top-antitop-quark pair and W-boson fiducial cross sections are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13.6 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 29 fb−1 of data collected in 2022 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured fiducial cross-section values for W+→ℓ+ν, W−→ℓ−ν¯, and Z→ℓ+ℓ− (ℓ=e or μ) boson productions are 4250±150 pb, 3310±120 pb, and 744±20 pb, respectively, where the uncertainty is the total uncertainty, including that arising from the luminosity of about 2.2%. The measurements are in agreement with Standard-Model predictions calculated at next-to-next-to-leading-order in αs, next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy and next-to-leading-order electroweak accuracy

Search for heavy neutral Higgs bosons decaying into a top quark pair in 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract A search for heavy pseudo-scalar (A) and scalar (H) Higgs bosons decaying into a top-quark pair ($$t\overline{t}$$ t t ¯ ) has been performed with 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of $$\sqrt{s}$$ s = 13 TeV. Interference effects between the signal process and Standard Model (SM) $$t\overline{t}$$ t t ¯ production are taken into account. Final states with exactly one or exactly two electrons or muons are considered. No significant deviation from the SM prediction is observed. The results of the search are interpreted in the context of a two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM) of type II in the alignment limit with mass-degenerate pseudo-scalar and scalar Higgs bosons (mA = mH) and the hMSSM parameterisation of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model. Ratios of the two vacuum expectation values, tan β, smaller than 3.49 (3.16) are excluded at 95% confidence level for mA = mH = 400 GeV in the 2HDM (hMSSM). Masses up to 1240 GeV are excluded for the lowest tested tan β value of 0.4 in the 2HDM. In the hMSSM, masses up to 950 GeV are excluded for tan β = 1.0. In addition, generic exclusion limits are derived separately for single scalar and pseudo-scalar states for different choices of their mass and total width.</jats:p

Measurements of electroweak W±Z boson pair production in association with two jets in pp collisions at s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract Measurements of integrated and differential cross-sections for electroweak W±Z production in association with two jets (W±Zjj) in proton-proton collisions are presented. The data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of $$\sqrt{s}$$ s = 13 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. The W±Zjj candidate events are reconstructed using leptonic decay modes of the gauge bosons. Events containing three identified leptons, either electrons or muons, and two jets are selected. Processes involving pure electroweak W±Zjj production at Born level are separated from W±Zjj production involving a strong coupling. The measured integrated fiducial cross-section of electroweak W±Zjj production per lepton flavour is $${\sigma}_{WZjj- EW\to {\ell}^{\prime}\nu \mathcal{ll} jj}$$ σ WZjj − EW → ℓ ′ ν ll jj = 0.368 ± 0.037 (stat.) ± 0.059 (syst.) ± 0.003 (lumi.) fb, where ℓ and ℓ′ are either an electron or a muon. Respective cross-sections of electroweak and strong W±Zjj production are measured separately for events with exactly two jets or with more than two jets, and in three bins of the invariant mass of the two jets. The inclusive W±Zjj production cross-section, without separating electroweak and strong production, is also measured to be $${\sigma}_{WZjj\to {\ell}^{\prime}\nu \mathcal{ll} jj}$$ σ WZjj → ℓ ′ ν ll jj = 1.462 ± 0.063 (stat.) ± 0.118 (syst.) ± 0.012 (lumi.) fb, per lepton flavour. The inclusive W±Zjj production cross-section is measured differentially for several kinematic observables. Finally, the measurements are used to constrain anomalous quartic gauge couplings by extracting 95% confidence level intervals on dimension-8 operators.</jats:p

Sensor response and radiation damage effects for 3D pixels in the ATLAS IBL Detector

Abstract Pixel sensors in 3D technology equip the outer ends of the staves of the Insertable B Layer (IBL), the innermost layer of the ATLAS Pixel Detector, which was installed before the start of LHC Run 2 in 2015. 3D pixel sensors are expected to exhibit more tolerance to radiation damage and are the technology of choice for the innermost layer in the ATLAS tracker upgrade for the HL-LHC programme. While the LHC has delivered an integrated luminosity of  ≃ 235 fb-1 since the start of Run 2, the 3D sensors have received a non-ionising energy deposition corresponding to a fluence of ≃ 8.5 × 1014 1 MeV neutron-equivalent cm-2 averaged over the sensor area. This paper presents results of measurements of the 3D pixel sensors' response during Run 2 and the first two years of Run 3, with predictions of its evolution until the end of Run 3 in 2025. Data are compared with radiation damage simulations, based on detailed maps of the electric field in the Si substrate, at various fluence levels and bias voltage values. These results illustrate the potential of 3D technology for pixel applications in high-radiation environments.</jats:p

Measurement of single top-quark production in association with a <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>W</mml:mi></mml:math> boson in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mi>p</mml:mi></mml:math> collisions at <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13</mml:mn><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi></mml:math> with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive cross section for the production of a single top quark in association with a W boson is measured using 140  fb−1 of proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at s=13  TeV. Events containing two charged leptons and at least one jet identified as originating from a b-quark are selected. A multivariate discriminant is constructed to separate the tW signal from the tt¯ background. The cross section is extracted using a profile likelihood fit to the signal and control regions and it is measured to be σtW=75−14+15  pb, in good agreement with the Standard Model prediction. The measured cross section is used to extract a value for the left-handed form factor at the Wtb vertex times the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |fLVVtb| of 0.97±0.10. © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2024 CERN </jats:sec

Search for Light Long-Lived Particles in <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mi>p</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> Collisions at <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mrow><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13</mml:mn><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mtext> </mml:mtext><mml:mi>TeV</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> Using Displaced Vertices in the ATLAS Inner Detector

A search for long-lived particles (LLPs) using 140  fb−1 of pp collision data with s=13  TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC is presented. The search targets LLPs with masses between 5 and 55 GeV that decay hadronically in the ATLAS inner detector. Benchmark models with LLP pair production from exotic decays of the Higgs boson and models featuring long-lived axionlike particles (ALPs) are considered. No significant excess above the expected background is observed. Upper limits are placed on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to pairs of LLPs, the cross section for ALPs produced in association with a vector boson, and, for the first time, on the branching ratio of the top quark to an ALP and a u/c quark. © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2024 CERN </jats:sec

Measurements of the production cross-section for a Z boson in association with b- or c-jets in proton–proton collisions at s=13\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

AbstractThis paper presents a measurement of the production cross-section of a Z boson in association with b- or c-jets, in proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 $$\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 . Inclusive and differential cross-sections are measured for events containing a Z boson decaying into electrons or muons and produced in association with at least one b-jet, at least one c-jet, or at least two b-jets with transverse momentum p_\text {T} > 20 p T &gt; 20 GeV and rapidity |y| < 2.5 | y | &lt; 2.5 . Predictions from several Monte Carlo generators based on next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced with a parton-shower simulation, with different choices of flavour schemes for initial-state partons, are compared with the measured cross-sections. The results are also compared with novel predictions, based on infrared and collinear safe jet flavour dressing algorithms. Selected $$Z + \ge 1~c$$ Z + ≥ 1 c -jet observables, optimized for sensitivity to intrinsic-charm, are compared with benchmark models with different intrinsic-charm fractions.</jats:p

Precise test of lepton flavour universality in \varvec{W}-boson decays into muons and electrons in \varvec{pp} collisions at \varvec{\sqrt{s}}=13\,\text {T}\text {e}\hspace{-1.00006pt}\text {V} with the ATLAS detector

AbstractThe ratio of branching ratios of the W boson to muons and electrons, $$R^{\,\mu /e}_W={{\mathcal {B}}(W\rightarrow \mu \nu )}$$ R W μ / e = B ( W → μ ν ) /$${{\mathcal {B}}(W\rightarrow e\nu )}$$ B ( W → e ν ) , has been measured using $$140\,\text{ fb}^{-1}\,$$ 140 fb - 1 of pp collision data at $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ s = 13  $$\text {T}\text {e}\hspace{-1.00006pt}\text {V}$$ Te V collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, probing the universality of lepton couplings. The ratio is obtained from measurements of the $$t\bar{t}$$ t t ¯ production cross-section in the ee, $$e\mu$$ e μ and $$\mu \mu$$ μ μ dilepton final states. To reduce systematic uncertainties, it is normalised by the square root of the corresponding ratio $$R^{\,\mu \mu /ee}_Z$$ R Z μ μ / e e for the Z boson measured in inclusive $$Z\rightarrow ee$$ Z → e e and $$Z\rightarrow \mu \mu$$ Z → μ μ events. By using the precise value of $$R^{\,\mu \mu /ee}_Z$$ R Z μ μ / e e determined from $$e^+e^-$$ e + e - colliders, the ratio $$R^{\,\mu /e}_W$$ R W μ / e is determined to be $$\begin{aligned} R^{\,\mu /e}_W&amp;= 0.9995\pm 0.0022\,\mathrm {(stat)}\,\pm 0.0036\,\mathrm {(syst)}\\ &amp;\quad \pm 0.0014\,\mathrm {(ext)} . \end{aligned}$$ R W μ / e = 0.9995 ± 0.0022 ( stat ) ± 0.0036 ( syst ) ± 0.0014 ( ext ) . The three uncertainties correspond to data statistics, experimental systematics and the external measurement of $$R^{\,\mu \mu /ee}_Z$$ R Z μ μ / e e , giving a total uncertainty of 0.0045, and confirming the Standard Model assumption of lepton flavour universality in W-boson decays at the 0.5% level.</jats:p