Measurement of the t t-bar production cross section in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with lepton + jets final states

TL;DR

This paper reports a measurement of the top-antitop quark pair production cross section in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV using the CMS detector, based on 2.3 fb^-1 of data, confirming Standard Model predictions.

Contribution

First measurement of the t t-bar production cross section at 7 TeV in lepton + jets final states with detailed systematic analysis.

Findings

Measured cross section: 158.1 pb with uncertainties

Results agree with Standard Model predictions

Demonstrates CMS detector's capability for top quark studies

Abstract

A measurement of the t t-bar production cross section in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented. The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 inverse femtobarns collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. Selected events are required to have one isolated, high transverse momentum electron or muon, large missing transverse energy, and hadronic jets, at least one of which must be consistent with having originated from a b quark. The measured cross section is 158.1 +/- 2.1 (stat.) +/- 10.2 (syst.) +/- 3.5 (lum.) pb, in agreement with standard model predictions.