Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The CMS collaboration

doi:10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207

Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The CMS collaboration

Division of Computing & Electrical Engineering

A. Alikhanian Yerevan Institute of Physics
Yerevan State University
Austrian Academy of Sciences
TU Wien
University of Antwerp
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Ghent University
Université libre de Bruxelles
Texas A&M University
Université catholique de Louvain
Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
FACAMP - Faculdades de Campinas
Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Universidade do Estado do Amazonas
Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski
Universidad de Tarapacá
Universidad Técnica Federico Santa Maria
Beihang University
Tsinghua University
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
CAS - Institute of High Energy Physics
China Center of Advanced Science and Technology World Laboratory
Peking University
South China Normal University
Sun Yat-Sen University
University of Science and Technology of China
Nanjing Normal University
University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Fudan University
Zhejiang University
Universidad de los Andes Colombia
Universidad de Antioquia
University of Split
Ruder Boskovic Institute
University of Cyprus
Charles University
Escuela Politécnica Nacional
Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Academy of Scientific Research and Technology
Al-Fayoum University
National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Tallinn
University of Helsinki
Helsinki Institute of Physics
Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology
Université Paris-Saclay
Purdue University
IN2P3-CNRS
Université de Haute-Alsace
Institut Pluridisciplinaire - Hubert Curien (IPHC)
CNRS/IN2P3-Univ Mediterranee
Institut de Physique des 2 Infinis de Lyon
Istinye University
Georgian Technical University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
CERN
RWTH Aachen University
German Electron Synchrotron
University of Hamburg
University of Wuppertal
Brandenburg University of Technology
Jülich Research Centre
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Demokritos National Centre for Scientific Research
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
National Technical University of Athens
University of Ioannina
Wigner Research Centre for Physics
Institute for Nuclear Research
Eötvös Loránd University
Assiut University
University of Debrecen
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences
University of Kansas
Panjab University
Punjab Agricultural University
University of Delhi
University of Hyderabad
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
Visva-Bharati University
Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar
National Institute of Science Education and Research
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad
Isfahan University of Technology
Sharif University of Technology
Institute for Research for Fundamental Sciences
University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran
Arak University
University College Dublin
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
University of Bari
Polytechnic University of Bari
Helwan University
University of Bologna
Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l'energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile
Centro Siciliano di Fisica Nucleare e di Struttura Della Materia
University of Catania
University of Florence
Guglielmo Marconi University
University of Genoa
University of Milan - Bicocca
University of Naples Federico II
University of Basilicata
Scuola Superiore Meridionale
Fermi Natl. Accelerator Laboratory
University of Padua
Luleå University of Technology
University of Pavia
University of Perugia
National Research Council of Italy
University of Pisa
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa
University of Siena
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies
University of Rome La Sapienza
University of Turin
University of Eastern Piedmont
University of Trieste
Kyungpook National University
GWNU
Chonnam National University
Hanyang University
Korea University
Kyung Hee University
Sejong University
Seoul National University
University of Seoul
Yonsei University
Sungkyunkwan University
American University of the Middle East
Kuwait University
Riga Technical University
University of Latvia
Vilnius University
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
University of Malaya
Universidad de Sonora
Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional
Universidad Iberoamericana (UIA)
Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla
University of Montenegro
University of Canterbury
Quaid-I-Azam University
AGH University of Krakow
National Centre for Nuclear Research
University of Warsaw
Warsaw University of Technology
Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas
University of Belgrade
CIEMAT
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
University of Oviedo
Universidad de Cantabria
Eastern University, Sri Lanka
University of Colombo
University of Ruhuna
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
University of Zurich
Paul Scherrer Institute
ETH Zurich—Institute for Particle Physics and Astrophysics (IPA)
National Central University
National Taiwan University
Chulalongkorn University
Université de Tunis El Manar
Cukurova University
Near East University
Konya Technical University
Izmir Bakircay University
Adiyaman University
Yozgat Bozok University
Middle East Technical University
Bogazici University
Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University
Marmara University
Turkish National Defence University
Informatics and Information Security Research Center
Kafkas University
Istanbul Technical University
Hacettepe University
Erzincan University
Istanbul University
Istanbul University - Cerrahpaşa
Yildiz Technical University
NASU - Institute for Single Crystals
NASU - Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology
University of Bristol
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
University of Southampton
Imperial College London
Monash University
Brunel University London
Baylor University
Bethel University
Catholic University of America
University of Alabama
Boston University
Brown University
Karamanoglu Mehmetbey University
University of California at Davis
University of California at Los Angeles
University of California at Riverside
University of California at San Diego
University of California at Santa Barbara
California Lutheran University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Colorado Boulder
Cornell University
United States Naval Academy
University of Florida
Florida State University
Florida Institute of Technology
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Iowa
Bingol University
Sinop University
Erciyes University
Johns Hopkins University
Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering
Kansas State University
University of Maryland, College Park
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
SUNY Buffalo
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
University of Notre Dame
Ohio State University
Princeton University
University of Puerto Rico
Purdue University Northwest
Rice University
University of Rochester
Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Texas Tech University
Vanderbilt University
University of Virginia
Wayne State University
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A search for pseudoscalar or scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair (tt¯) in final states with one or two charged leptons is presented. The analyzed proton-proton collision data was recorded at √s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb^-1. The invariant mass m_tt¯ of the reconstructed tt¯ system and variables sensitive to its spin and parity are used to discriminate against the standard model tt¯ background. Interference between pseudoscalar or scalar boson production and the standard model tt¯ continuum is included, leading to peak-dip structures in the mtt¯ distribution. An excess of the data above the background prediction, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations, is observed near the kinematic tt¯ production threshold, while good agreement is found for high mtt¯. The data are consistent with the background prediction if the contribution from a simplified model of a color-singlet ¹S^[1]₀ tt¯ quasi-bound state η_t, inspired by nonrelativistic QCD, is added. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the coupling between the pseudoscalar or scalar bosons and the top quark for boson masses in the range 365.1000 GeV, relative widths between 0.5% and 25%, and two background scenarios with or without η_t contribution.

Original language	English
Article number	127801
Journal	Reports on Progress in Physics
Volume	88
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2025

Keywords

CMS
pseudoscalar boson
scalar boson
top quark

Access to Document

10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207

Cite this

@article{e106677db95e455c8728bf62a42f9c68,

title = "Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV",

abstract = "A search for pseudoscalar or scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair (tt¯) in final states with one or two charged leptons is presented. The analyzed proton-proton collision data was recorded at √s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb-1. The invariant mass mtt¯ of the reconstructed tt¯ system and variables sensitive to its spin and parity are used to discriminate against the standard model tt¯ background. Interference between pseudoscalar or scalar boson production and the standard model tt¯ continuum is included, leading to peak-dip structures in the mtt¯ distribution. An excess of the data above the background prediction, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations, is observed near the kinematic tt¯ production threshold, while good agreement is found for high mtt¯. The data are consistent with the background prediction if the contribution from a simplified model of a color-singlet 1S[1]0 tt¯ quasi-bound state ηt, inspired by nonrelativistic QCD, is added. Upper limits at 95\% confidence level are set on the coupling between the pseudoscalar or scalar bosons and the top quark for boson masses in the range 365.1000 GeV, relative widths between 0.5\% and 25\%, and two background scenarios with or without ηt contribution.",

keywords = "CMS, pseudoscalar boson, scalar boson, top quark",

author = "\{The CMS collaboration\} and A. Hayrapetyan and V. Makarenko and A. Tumasyan and W. Adam and Andrejkovic, \{J. W.\} and L. Benato and T. Bergauer and M. Dragicevic and C. Giordano and Hussain, \{P. S.\} and M. Jeitler and N. Krammer and A. Li and D. Liko and M. Matthewman and I. Mikulec and J. Schieck and R. Sch{\"o}fbeck and D. Schwarz and M. Shooshtari and M. Sonawane and W. Waltenberger and Wulz, \{C. E.\} and T. Janssen and H. Kwon and \{Ocampo Henao\}, D. and \{Van Laer\}, T. and \{Van Mechelen\}, P. and J. Bierkens and N. Breugelmans and J. D'Hondt and S. Dansana and \{De Moor\}, A. and M. Delcourt and F. Heyen and Y. Hong and P. Kashko and S. Lowette and I. Makarenko and D. M{\"u}ller and J. Song and S. Tavernier and M. Tytgat and \{Van Onsem\}, \{G. P.\} and \{Van Putte\}, S. and D. Vannerom and B. Bilin and B. Clerbaux and Das, \{A. K.\} and O. Bouhali",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207",

language = "English",

volume = "88",

journal = "Reports on Progress in Physics",

issn = "0034-4885",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

AU - The CMS collaboration

AU - Hayrapetyan, A.

AU - Makarenko, V.

AU - Tumasyan, A.

AU - Adam, W.

AU - Andrejkovic, J. W.

AU - Benato, L.

AU - Bergauer, T.

AU - Dragicevic, M.

AU - Giordano, C.

AU - Hussain, P. S.

AU - Jeitler, M.

AU - Krammer, N.

AU - Li, A.

AU - Liko, D.

AU - Matthewman, M.

AU - Mikulec, I.

AU - Schieck, J.

AU - Schöfbeck, R.

AU - Schwarz, D.

AU - Shooshtari, M.

AU - Sonawane, M.

AU - Waltenberger, W.

AU - Wulz, C. E.

AU - Janssen, T.

AU - Kwon, H.

AU - Ocampo Henao, D.

AU - Van Laer, T.

AU - Van Mechelen, P.

AU - Bierkens, J.

AU - Breugelmans, N.

AU - D'Hondt, J.

AU - Dansana, S.

AU - De Moor, A.

AU - Delcourt, M.

AU - Heyen, F.

AU - Hong, Y.

AU - Kashko, P.

AU - Lowette, S.

AU - Makarenko, I.

AU - Müller, D.

AU - Song, J.

AU - Tavernier, S.

AU - Tytgat, M.

AU - Van Onsem, G. P.

AU - Van Putte, S.

AU - Vannerom, D.

AU - Bilin, B.

AU - Clerbaux, B.

AU - Das, A. K.

AU - Bouhali, O.

PY - 2025/12/1

Y1 - 2025/12/1

N2 - A search for pseudoscalar or scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair (tt¯) in final states with one or two charged leptons is presented. The analyzed proton-proton collision data was recorded at √s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb-1. The invariant mass mtt¯ of the reconstructed tt¯ system and variables sensitive to its spin and parity are used to discriminate against the standard model tt¯ background. Interference between pseudoscalar or scalar boson production and the standard model tt¯ continuum is included, leading to peak-dip structures in the mtt¯ distribution. An excess of the data above the background prediction, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations, is observed near the kinematic tt¯ production threshold, while good agreement is found for high mtt¯. The data are consistent with the background prediction if the contribution from a simplified model of a color-singlet 1S[1]0 tt¯ quasi-bound state ηt, inspired by nonrelativistic QCD, is added. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the coupling between the pseudoscalar or scalar bosons and the top quark for boson masses in the range 365.1000 GeV, relative widths between 0.5% and 25%, and two background scenarios with or without ηt contribution.

AB - A search for pseudoscalar or scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair (tt¯) in final states with one or two charged leptons is presented. The analyzed proton-proton collision data was recorded at √s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb-1. The invariant mass mtt¯ of the reconstructed tt¯ system and variables sensitive to its spin and parity are used to discriminate against the standard model tt¯ background. Interference between pseudoscalar or scalar boson production and the standard model tt¯ continuum is included, leading to peak-dip structures in the mtt¯ distribution. An excess of the data above the background prediction, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations, is observed near the kinematic tt¯ production threshold, while good agreement is found for high mtt¯. The data are consistent with the background prediction if the contribution from a simplified model of a color-singlet 1S[1]0 tt¯ quasi-bound state ηt, inspired by nonrelativistic QCD, is added. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the coupling between the pseudoscalar or scalar bosons and the top quark for boson masses in the range 365.1000 GeV, relative widths between 0.5% and 25%, and two background scenarios with or without ηt contribution.

KW - CMS

KW - pseudoscalar boson

KW - scalar boson

KW - top quark

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105035620624

U2 - 10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207

DO - 10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105035620624

SN - 0034-4885

VL - 88

JO - Reports on Progress in Physics

JF - Reports on Progress in Physics

IS - 12

M1 - 127801

ER -

Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this