Search for resonant production of $t\bar{t}$ decaying to jets in $p\bar p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV

TL;DR

This paper searches for hypothetical $Z'$ resonances decaying into top-antitop pairs in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, using data from the CDF II detector, and sets limits on the mass of such particles.

Contribution

It provides the first experimental limits on $Z'$ bosons decaying to $t\bar{t}$ in proton-antiproton collisions at this energy, constraining specific topcolor-assisted technicolor models.

Findings

No evidence for $Z'$ resonances was observed.

Excluded $Z'$ masses below 805 GeV/$c^2$ at 95% confidence level.

Set upper limits on production cross section times branching ratio.

Abstract

This Letter reports a search for non standard model topquark resonances, $Z'$, decaying to $t\bar{t} \rightarrow W^+b W^-\bar{b}$ %\rightarrow qq'b qq' \bar{b}$, where both $W$ decay to quarks. We examine the top-antitop quark invariant mass spectrum for the presence of narrow resonant states. The search uses a data sample of $\ppb$ collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron, with an integrated luminosity of 2.8 fb$^{-1}$. No evidence for top-antitop quark resonant production is found. We place upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio for a specific topcolor assisted technicolor model with width of $\Gamma_{Z'} = 0.012 M_{Z'}$. Within this model, we exclude $Z'$ boson with masses below 805 GeV$/c^2$ at the 95% confidence level.