Top Partner Discovery in the $T\to tZ$ channel at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the Large Hadron Collider's ability to discover heavy vector-like top quarks decaying into a top quark and a Z boson, using advanced reconstruction techniques and a simplified model approach.

Contribution

It introduces a model-independent analysis method for detecting heavy vector-like top quarks in the $tZ$ decay channel at the LHC, utilizing boosted jet techniques.

Findings

Potential for 3σ evidence in certain parameter regions

Potential for 5σ discovery in favorable scenarios

Effective mass reconstruction in leptonic and hadronic channels

Abstract

In this paper we study the discovery potential of the LHC run II for heavy vector-like top quarks in the decay channel to a top and a $Z$ boson. Despite the usually smaller branching ratio compared to charged-current decays, this channel is rather clean and allows for a complete mass reconstruction of the heavy top. The latter is achieved in the leptonic decay channel of the $Z$ boson and in the fully hadronic top channel using boosted jet and jet substructure techniques. To be as model-independent as possible, a simplified model approach with only two free parameters has been applied. The results are presented in terms of parameter space regions for $3\sigma$ evidence or $5\sigma$ discovery for such new states in that channel.