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CMS-B2G-17-015 ; CERN-EP-2018-313
Search for a heavy resonance decaying to a top quark and a vector-like top quark in the lepton+jets final state in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $ 13 TeV
Eur. Phys. J. C 79 (2019) 208
Abstract: A search is presented for a heavy spin-1 resonance Z' decaying to a top quark and a vector-like top quark partner T in the lepton+jets final state. The search is performed using a data set of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$ as recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in the year 2016. The analysis is optimised for final states arising from the T decay modes to a top quark and a Higgs or Z boson (${\text{T}} \to \mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}, \mathrm{Z}\mathrm{t}$). The event selection makes use of resolved and merged top quark decay products, as well as decays of boosted Higgs bosons and Z and W bosons using jet substructure techniques. No significant deviation from the standard model background expectation is observed. Exclusion limits on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for $\mathrm{Z'} \to \mathrm{t} {\text{T}} , {\text{T}} \to \mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}, \mathrm{Z}\mathrm{t}, \mathrm{W}\mathrm{b}$ are presented for various combinations of the Z' resonance mass and the vector-like T quark mass. These results represent the most stringent limits to date for the decay mode $\mathrm{Z'} \to \mathrm{tT} \to \mathrm{t}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}$. In a benchmark model with extra dimensions, invoking a heavy spin-1 resonance ${\mathrm{G}^*} $, masses of the ${\mathrm{G}^*} $ between 1.5 and 2.3 TeV and between 2.0 and 2.4 TeV are excluded for T masses of 1.2 and 1.5 TeV, respectively.
Figures & Tables Summary References CMS Publications
Figures

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Figure 1:
Leading order Feynman diagram for the production of a spin-1 resonance Z' and its decay, along with the possible decays of the vector-like quark T.

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Figure 2:
Distribution of the soft drop mass of jets as reconstructed with the anti-$ {k_{\mathrm {T}}}$ jet algorithm with $R=0.8$ after the event selection. Events are shown in the combined lepton+jets channel, with contributions from data, simulated signal samples, and the simulated SM backgrounds. The expected signal distribution from various T decay modes is shown for the example mass configuration $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} = $ 1.5 TeV and $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 3:
Distribution of the smallest $ {\chi ^2} $ discriminator in each event for the combination of both top tag and no top tag categories, after the $ {{\mathrm {t}\overline {\mathrm {t}}}} $ reconstruction, combining both lepton channels. The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 4:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' boson mass in the $\mu$+jets channel (upper row) and e+jets channel (lower row) for the $ {{\mathrm {t}\overline {\mathrm {t}}}} $-enriched control region (left) and for the W+jets-enriched region (right). The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 4-a:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' boson mass in the $\mu$+jets channel for the $ {{\mathrm {t}\overline {\mathrm {t}}}} $-enriched control region. The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 4-b:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' boson mass in the $\mu$+jets channel for the W+jets-enriched region. The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 4-c:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' boson mass in the e+jets channel for the $ {{\mathrm {t}\overline {\mathrm {t}}}} $-enriched control region. The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 4-d:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' boson mass in the e+jets channel for the W+jets-enriched region. The expected signal distribution is shown for various $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} $ masses for a fixed mass $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV in the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay channel, each with a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. In the left (right) column the results in the top tag (no top tag) category are shown. Different rows display the distributions of events accepted by different taggers as well as the signal for the respective T decays: $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (upper), $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (middle), and $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (lower). The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-a:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-b:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-c:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-d:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-e:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 5-f:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the $\mu$+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. The results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. In the left (right) column the results in the top tag (no top tag) category are shown. Different rows display the distributions of events accepted by different taggers as well as the signal for the respective T decays: $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (upper), $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (middle), and $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay (lower). The signal histograms correspond to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-a:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-b:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{2 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-c:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-d:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {{\mathrm {H}} _{1 {\mathrm {b}}}} $ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-e:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 6-f:
Distribution of the reconstructed Z' resonance mass after the full selection in the e+jets channel for the data, the expected SM background, and for the signal with different Z' masses for a fixed T mass of 1.3 TeV. Results in the no top tag category are shown. The plot displays the distribution of events accepted by the $ {\mathrm {Z}} / {\mathrm {W}}$ tagger as well as the signal for the $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ decay. The signal histogram corresponds to a nominal cross section $\sigma ({\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}})$ of 1 pb. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to predicted background. Here the darker grey band indicates the statistical uncertainty, whilst the lighter grey band shows the combined statistical and systematic uncertainty.

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Figure 7:
Observed exclusion limits at 95% CL on the production cross section for various ($ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}}, {M_{{\text {T}}}} $) combinations for the decay channels $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ (upper left), $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$ (upper right), and $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}$ (lower). The white area in the upper left indicates the region where the $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ decay is kinematically forbidden, while in the lower right $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ is suppressed by the preferred $ {\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\text {T}} {\text {T}} $ mode. Other white areas indicate regions where signal samples have not been generated.

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Figure 7-a:
Observed exclusion limits at 95% CL on the production cross section for various ($ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}}, {M_{{\text {T}}}} $) combinations for the decay channel $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}$. The white area in the upper left indicates the region where the $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ decay is kinematically forbidden, while in the lower right $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ is suppressed by the preferred $ {\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\text {T}} {\text {T}} $ mode. Other white areas indicate regions where signal samples have not been generated.

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Figure 7-b:
Observed exclusion limits at 95% CL on the production cross section for various ($ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}}, {M_{{\text {T}}}} $) combinations for the decay channel $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}}$. The white area in the upper left indicates the region where the $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ decay is kinematically forbidden, while in the lower right $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ is suppressed by the preferred $ {\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\text {T}} {\text {T}} $ mode. Other white areas indicate regions where signal samples have not been generated.

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Figure 7-c:
Observed exclusion limits at 95% CL on the production cross section for various ($ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}}, {M_{{\text {T}}}} $) combinations for the decay channel $ {{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}$. The white area in the upper left indicates the region where the $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ decay is kinematically forbidden, while in the lower right $ {{\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\mathrm {t}} {\text {T}}}$ is suppressed by the preferred $ {\mathrm {Z}'}\to {\text {T}} {\text {T}} $ mode. Other white areas indicate regions where signal samples have not been generated.

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Figure 8:
Exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for three T masses of 1.2 TeV (upper row), 1.5 TeV (lower left), and 2.1 TeV (lower right), as a function of the resonance mass. The branching fraction is defined as $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$. Observed and expected limits are compared to the predictions from two different theory benchmark models: the $ {\mathrm {G}^*} $ model (upper left and lower row), and the left-handed $ {\rho _{\mathrm {L}}} $ in the $ {\rho ^0} $ model (upper right).

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Figure 8-a:
Exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for three T masses of 1.2 TeV, as a function of the resonance mass. The branching fraction is defined as $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$. Observed and expected limits are compared to the predictions from the $ {\mathrm {G}^*} $ model.

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Figure 8-b:
Exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for three T masses of 1.2 TeV, as a function of the resonance mass. The branching fraction is defined as $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$. Observed and expected limits are compared to the predictions from the left-handed $ {\rho _{\mathrm {L}}} $ in the $ {\rho ^0} $ model.

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Figure 8-c:
Exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for three T masses of 1.5 TeV, as a function of the resonance mass. The branching fraction is defined as $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$. Observed and expected limits are compared to the predictions from the $ {\mathrm {G}^*} $ model.

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Figure 8-d:
Exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for three T masses of 2.1 TeV, as a function of the resonance mass. The branching fraction is defined as $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$. Observed and expected limits are compared to the predictions from the $ {\mathrm {G}^*} $ model.

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Figure 9:
Model-independent observed exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction $\mathcal {B}= \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}}) + \mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$ for an example mass configuration of $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} =1.5$ TeV and $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} =1.3$ TeV as a function of the branching fractions $\mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}})$ and $\mathcal {B}({{\text {T}} \to {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}})$.
Tables

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Table 1:
Signal selection efficiency for the three T decay modes in each category for a signal with $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} = $ 1.5 TeV and $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV, taking into account branching fractions $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.294$, $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.317$, and $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.255$ [64], where $ {\ell \text {+jets}}$ is a final state with exactly one electron or muon, including electrons and muons from tau lepton decays. The last row of the table shows the total selection efficiency summed over all six categories.

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Table 2:
Signal selection efficiency after each step in the selection requirements for a signal with $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} = $ 1.5 TeV and $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV, taking into account branching fractions $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {H}} {\mathrm {t}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.294$, $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {Z}} {\mathrm {t}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.317$, and $\mathcal {B}({\mathrm {t}} {\mathrm {W}} {\mathrm {b}}\to {\ell \text {+jets}}) = 0.255$ [64], where $ {\ell \text {+jets}}$ is a final state with exactly one electron or muon, including electrons and muons from tau lepton decays.

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Table 3:
List of systematic uncertainties considered in the statistical analysis, with the size of their impact, the type(s) of effect they have, and the categories they affect. The impact size of each uncertainty is based on a signal sample with $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}} = $ 1.5 TeV and $ {M_{{\text {T}}}} = $ 1.3 TeV. All uncertainties affect the normalizations of the $ {M_{{\mathrm {Z}'}}^{\text {rec}}} $ distributions. The ones also affecting the shapes are indicated by a tick mark. Uncertainties that affect control regions are denoted by CR, whilst those that affect signal regions are denoted by SR.
Summary
A search for a heavy spin-1 resonance Z' decaying to a standard model top quark and a vector-like quark partner T has been presented. The data used in this search were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at $\sqrt{s} = $ 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is primarily optimised to study the decay modes of the vector-like quark to a Higgs boson and a top quark (${{\text{T}} \to \mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}}$), and to a Z boson and a top quark (${{\text{T}} \to \mathrm{Z}\mathrm{t}}$), although the decay to a W boson and a bottom quark (${{\text{T}} \to \mathrm{W}\mathrm{b}}$) is also considered. This is the first direct search for the decay $\mathrm{Z'} \to \mathrm{tT} \to \mathrm{t}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}$. No significant excess of events over the expectation from standard model backgrounds is found. Limits on the production cross section are presented for a narrow Z' resonance in the mass range from 1.5 to 4.0 TeV and a narrow T resonance in the mass range from 0.7 to 3.0 TeV. Interpretation of these limits within the context of the ${\mathrm{G}^*} $ benchmark model results in the exclusion of ${\mathrm{G}^*} $ resonance masses in the range from 1.5 to 2.3 TeV and from 2.0 to 2.4 TeV, for a T mass of 1.2 and 1.5 TeV, respectively. The presented limits are the most stringent to date for the decay mode $\mathrm{Z'} \to \mathrm{tT} \to \mathrm{t}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{t}$.
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