Search for heavy resonances decaying to tau lepton pairs in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for heavy resonances decaying into tau lepton pairs in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV, setting new limits on Z' boson masses and extending previous constraints.

Contribution

It provides the first limits on Z' bosons decaying to tau pairs at 13 TeV, improving constraints for specific models like the sequential standard model and topcolor-assisted technicolor.

Findings

Excluded Z' masses below 2.1 TeV for the sequential standard model.

Excluded Z' masses below 1.7 TeV for topcolor-assisted technicolor.

Results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.

Abstract

A search for heavy resonances that decay to tau lepton pairs is performed using proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV. The data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 2.2 inverse femtobarns. The observations are in agreement with standard model predictions. An upper limit at 95% confidence level on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction into tau lepton pairs is calculated as a function of the resonance mass. For the sequential standard model, the presence of Z' bosons decaying into tau lepton pairs is excluded for Z' masses below 2.1 TeV, extending previous limits for this final state. For the topcolor-assisted technicolor model, which predicts Z' bosons that preferentially couple to third-generation fermions, Z' masses below 1.7 TeV are excluded, representing the most stringent limit to date.