Measurement of $t$-channel single-top-quark production in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

TL;DR

This paper reports the first measurement of $t$-channel single-top-quark production at 5.02 TeV with the ATLAS detector, confirming Standard Model predictions through cross-section and ratio measurements.

Contribution

It provides the first measurement of $t$-channel single-top-quark production at this energy, including cross-sections and their ratio, using a novel event selection method.

Findings

Measured total cross-section $\sigma({tq + ar{t}q})$ = 27.1 pb.

Measured ratio $R_t$ = 2.73.

Results agree with Standard Model predictions.

Abstract

The observation of the electroweak production of single-top-quarks is made using 255 $\text{pb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. An event selection is used to identify single-top-quark candidates arising from $t$-channel production with the top quark decaying semi-leptonically. Events passing the selection are then used to measure the inclusive cross-section for the combined production of single-top-quarks and antiquarks, $\sigma({tq + \bar{t}q})$, and the ratio $R_t$ between these two. They are measured to be $\sigma({tq + \bar{t}q}) = 27.1^{+4.4}_{-4.1} (\text{stat.}) ^{+4.4}_{-3.7} (\text{syst.})$ pb and $R_t = 2.73^{+1.43}_{-0.82} (\text{stat.}) ^{+1.01}_{-0.29} (\text{syst.})$. The individual single-top-quark ($t q$) and single-top-antiquark ($\bar{t} q$) production cross-sections are measured to be $\sigma(t q) = 19.8^{+3.9}_{-3.1} (\text{stat.}) ^{+2.9}_{-2.2} (\text{syst.})$ pb and $\sigma(\bar{t}q) = 7.3^{+3.2}_{-2.1} (\text{stat.}) ^{+2.8}_{-1.5} (\text{syst.})$ pb. All measurements are in good agreement with the Standard Model predictions.