Probing top-antitop resonances with $t\bar{t}$ scattering at LHC14

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential of the 14 TeV LHC to detect top-antitop resonances through four-top final states, focusing on a simplified model with a vector boson coupling to right-handed top quarks, providing exclusion limits and discovery prospects.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed sensitivity analysis for top-antitop resonances in four-top final states at LHC14 within a simplified vector boson model, including exclusion limits and discovery reach.

Findings

Discovery potential up to 1.2 TeV with 300 fb$^{-1}$

Exclusion limits up to 1.6 TeV for the vector boson mass

Results applicable to composite Higgs models with a gauge-singlet vector boson

Abstract

We explore the sensitivity of the LHC at 14 TeV centre-of-mass energy (LHC14) to the single production and decay of top-antitop resonances in the four-top final state. We focus on the same-sign dilepton channel, and work within a simplified model with a vector boson coupling to the Standard Model only via its interactions with right-handed top quarks. We find it is possible to discover (exclude) such a vector boson with 300 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity up to a mass of 1.2 (1.6) TeV for a modest coupling to tops of $g_\rho$=2. We present our results as an exclusion limit on the cross-section$\times$branching ratio for ease of recasting, and interpret them in the context of the gauge-singlet vector boson $\rho_X$ present in many simple Composite Higgs theories.