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Resonance searches with the t$\bar{t}$ invariant mass distribution measured with the DØ experiment at √s=1.96 TeV

2010

Abstract

Understanding the universe, its birth and its future is one of the biggest motivations in physics. In order to understand the cosmos, the fundamental particles forming the universe, the components our matter is built of need to be known and understood. Over time physicists have built a theory which describes the physics of the known fundamental particles very well: the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics. The SM describes the particles, their interactions and phenomena with high precision. So far no proven deviations from the SM have been found, though recently evidence for possible physics beyond the SM has been observed. The SM is not describing the mass of the elementary particles however and even with the addition of the Higgs mechanism giving mass to the particles, we have no full theory for all four fundamental forces. We know the model needs to be extended or replaced by another one, as gravitation is not included in the SM. Having a theory which describes all fundamental particles found so far and all but one fundamental interaction is a great success. However, all this describes about 4% of the universe we live in. 23% is dark matter and 73% is dark energy. Dark matter is believed to interact only through gravity and maybe the weak force, which makes it hardly observable. Dark energy is even more elusive. Among other theories the cosmologic constant and scalar fields are discussed to describe it. One should also note that other models exist which for example modify the Newtonian law of gravity. The Higgs mechanism has become the most popular model for mass generation. Alternative theories like Super Symmetry (SUSY), large Extra Dimensions, Technicolor, String Theory, to name just a few, have spread to describe the necessary mass generation or new particles. As proof for new physics beyond the SM has not been found yet, one assumes that new physics will manifest itself at a larger energy scale and therefore a higher particle mass. Particles with high masses are therefore presumed to be a window to test the SM for deviations caused by new physics. The heaviest fundamental particle which is in our reach is the top quark. Its mass is almost as large as that of a complete tungsten atom. It is so heavy, that it decays faster than it can hadronize. It seems the perfect probe to study new physics at the moment. In this analysis the top quark is used as a probe to search for a new resonance, whose properties are similar to a SM Z boson but is much more massive. This analysis will study t{bar t} decays to search for an excess in the invariant mass distribution of the t$\bar{t}$ pairs. Resonant states are suggested for massive Z-like bosons in extended gauge theories, Kaluza Klein states of the gluon or Z, axigluons, topcolor, and other beyond the Standard Model theories. Independent of the exact model a resonant production mechanism should be visible in the t$\bar{t}$ invariant mass distribution. In this thesis a model-independent search for a narrow-width heavy resonance X decaying into t$\bar{t}$ is performed. In the SM, the top quark decays into a W boson and a b quark nearly 100% of the time, which has been proven experimentally, too. The t$\bar{t}$ event signature is fully determined by the W boson decay modes. In this analysis, only the lepton+jets final state, which results from the leptonic decay of one of the W bosons and the hadronic decay of the other, is considered. The event signature is an isolated electron or muon with high transverse momentum, large transverse energy imbalance due to the undetected neutrino, and at least three jets, two of which result from the hadronization of b quarks.

Abstract

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