Search for pair-production of vector-like quarks in lepton+jets final states containing at least one $b$-tagged jet using the Run 2 data from the ATLAS experiment

Abstract

A search is presented for the pair-production of heavy vector-like quarks in the lepton+jets final state using 140 fb${}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector. The search is optimised for vector-like top-quarks ($T$) that decay into a $W$ boson and a $b$-quark, with one $W$ boson decaying leptonically and the other hadronically. Other vector-like quark flavours and decay modes are also considered. Events are selected with one high transverse-momentum electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum, a large-radius jet identified as a $W$ boson, and multiple small-radius jets, at least one of which is $b$-tagged. Vector-like $T$-quarks with 100% branching ratio to $Wb$ are excluded at 95% CL for masses below 1700 GeV. These limits are also applied to vector-like $Y$-quarks, which decay exclusively into a $W$ boson and a $b$-quark. Isospin singlets with $\mathcal{B}(T\to Wb:Ht:Zt)=1/2:1/4:1/4$ are excluded for masses below 1360 GeV.

45 pages in total, author list starting page 28, 7 figures, 3 tables, published in Phys. Lett. B. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/EXOT-2019-06/