Search for tt¯H/A→tt¯tt¯ production in proton–proton collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Summary, in English

A search is presented for a heavy scalar (H) or pseudo-scalar (A) predicted by the two-Higgs-doublet models, where the H/A is produced in association with a top-quark pair (tt¯H/A), and with the H/A decaying into a tt¯ pair. The full LHC Run 2 proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139fb-1. Events are selected requiring exactly one or two opposite-charge electrons or muons. Data-driven corrections are applied to improve the modelling of the tt¯+jets background in the regime with high jet and b-jet multiplicities. These include a novel multi-dimensional kinematic reweighting based on a neural network trained using data and simulations. An H/A-mass parameterised graph neural network is trained to optimise the signal-to-background discrimination. In combination with the previous search performed by the ATLAS Collaboration in the multilepton final state, the observed upper limits on the tt¯H/A→tt¯tt¯ production cross-section at 95% confidence level range between 14 fb and 5.0 fb for an H/A with mass between 400 GeV and 1000 GeV, respectively. Assuming that both the H and A contribute to the tt¯tt¯ cross-section, tanβ values below 1.7 or 0.7 are excluded for a mass of 400 GeV or 1000 GeV, respectively. The results are also used to constrain a model predicting the pair production of a colour-octet scalar, with the scalar decaying into a tt¯ pair. © The Author(s) 2025.

• Author: G. Aad; T.P.A. Åkesson; K.S.V. Astrand; C. Doglioni; P.A. Ekman; V. Hedberg; H. Herde; B. Konya; E. Lytken; R. Poettgen; N.D. Simpson; O. Smirnova; E.J. Wallin; L. Zwalinski
• Department/s: Particle and nuclear physics; eSSENCE: The e-Science Collaboration; Department of Physics
• Publishing year: 2025
• Language: English
• Publication/Series: European Physical Journal C
• Volume: 85
• Issue: 5
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14041-z
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Springer Nature
• Topic: Subatomic Physics
• Keywords: Germanium compounds; Neural networks; Protons; Tellurium compounds; ATLAS detectors; ATLAS experiment; Data driven; Heavy scalar; Higgs doublet models; Integrated luminosity; Multi dimensional; Opposite charge; Proton proton collisions; Top quarks; Fighter aircraft
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 1434-6044