Light Stop Searches at the LHC with Monojet Events

TL;DR

This paper enhances the search for light top squarks at the LHC by optimizing monojet analysis techniques, including full background modeling and detector effects, thereby expanding the accessible parameter space.

Contribution

It introduces an improved monojet search strategy for light stops, incorporating full Standard Model backgrounds and detector effects, surpassing previous methods.

Findings

Expanded the stop-LSP mass plane accessible to monojet searches.

Demonstrated improved sensitivity by including full backgrounds and detector effects.

Optimized cut strategies for better detection prospects.

Abstract

We consider light top squarks (stops) in the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider. Here, we assume that the lightest neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and the lighter stop is the next-to-LSP. Stop pair production is difficult to probe at the Large Hadron Collider for small stop-LSP mass splitting. It has been shown previously that even in this case stop detection is possible if one considers stop pair production in association with one hard jet. We reconsider this supersymmetric monojet signature and go beyond previous works by including the full Standard Model background and optimizing the cuts, working at the hadron level and including detector effects. As a result, a larger portion of the stop-LSP mass plane becomes accessible to monojet searches.