Search for first generation scalar leptoquarks in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for first generation scalar leptoquarks in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV using ATLAS data, setting mass exclusion limits based on observed event yields and background predictions.

Contribution

It presents the first search for scalar leptoquarks at 7 TeV with ATLAS, establishing new mass exclusion limits and validating background models with control samples.

Findings

No significant excess observed over background.

Excluded scalar leptoquark masses below 660 GeV at 95% CL.

Validated background predictions with control data samples.

Abstract

We report a search for first generation scalar leptoquarks using 1.03 fb^-1 of proton-proton collisions data produced by the Large Hadron Collider at sqrt(s)=7 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS experiment. Leptoquarks are sought via their decay into an electron or neutrino and a quark, producing events with two oppositely charged electrons and at least two jets, or events with an electron, missing transverse momentum and at least two jets. Control data samples are used to validate background predictions from Monte Carlo simulation. In the signal region, the observed event yields are consistent with the background expectations. We exclude at 95% confidence level the production of first generation scalar leptoquark with masses m_LQ < 660 (607) GeV when assuming the branching fraction of a leptoquark to a charged lepton is equal to 1.0 (0.5).