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CMS-B2G-21-004 ; CERN-EP-2022-153
Search for pair-produced vector-like leptons in final states with third-generation leptons and at least three b quark jets in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV
Phys. Lett. B 846 (2023) 137713
Abstract: The first search is presented for vector-like leptons (VLLs) in the context of the ``4321 model'', an ultraviolet-complete model with the potential to explain existing $ {\mathrm{B}} $ physics measurements that are in tension with standard model predictions. The analyzed data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 96.5 fb$ ^{-1} $, were recorded in 2017 and 2018 with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV. Final states with $ {\geq} $3 b-tagged jets and two third-generation leptons ($ \tau\tau $, $ \tau\nu_{\!\tau} $, or $ \nu_{\!\tau}\nu_{\!\tau} $) are considered. Upper limits are derived on the VLL production cross section in the VLL mass range 500--1050 GeV. The maximum likelihood fit prefers the presence of signal at the level of 2.8 standard deviations, for a representative VLL mass point of 600 GeV. As a consequence, the observed upper limits are approximately double the expected limits.
Figures & Tables Summary References CMS Publications
Figures

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Figure 1:
Left side: example Feynman diagrams showing electroweak production of VLL pairs through $s$-channel bosons, as expected at the LHC. In these diagrams, L represents either the neutral VLL, N, or the charged VLL, E. Right side: vector-like lepton decays are mediated by a vector leptoquark, U. These decays are primarily to third-generation leptons and quarks.

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Figure 1-a:
Example Feynman diagram showing electroweak production of VLL pairs through $s$-channel bosons, as expected at the LHC.

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Figure 1-b:
Example Feynman diagram showing electroweak production of VLL pairs through $s$-channel bosons, as expected at the LHC.

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Figure 1-c:
Vector-like lepton decays are mediated by a vector leptoquark, U. These decays are primarily to third-generation leptons and quarks.

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Figure 1-d:
Vector-like lepton decays are mediated by a vector leptoquark, U. These decays are primarily to third-generation leptons and quarks.

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Figure 2:
Diagram of the event categorization and the various signal and control regions used in the analysis. The regions within the solid box are all used in the signal extraction fit. The regions in the dashed box are used to determine transfer factors from the control regions to the signal region for events with jets misidentified as ${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$'s. The selections are mutually exclusive between all regions, so that each event only enters a single region. For brevity, not all selection criteria are shown; the detailed selection criteria are described in the text.

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Figure 3:
Postfit plots for 2017 (top two rows) and 2018 (bottom two rows) showing the fitted distributions in the signal region for the different ${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channels (from left to right: 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$, 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$, 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$). The jet multiplicity is fit for the 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ region, whereas the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ and 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ regions. The first and third row show the background-only fits and the second and fourth rows show the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-a:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the jet multiplicity is fit. Shown is the background-only fit.

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Figure 3-b:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the background-only fit.

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Figure 3-c:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the background-only fit.

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Figure 3-d:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the jet multiplicity is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-e:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-f:
Postfit plots for 2017 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-g:
Postfit plots for 2018 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the background-only fit.

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Figure 3-h:
Postfit plots for 2018 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the background-only fit.

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Figure 3-i:
Postfit plots for 2018 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the jet multiplicity is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-j:
Postfit plots for 2018 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-k:
Postfit plots for 2018 showing the fitted distribution in the signal region for the 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channel, for which the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit. Shown is the fit including the signal.

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Figure 3-l:
Postfit plots for 2017 (top two rows) and 2018 (bottom two rows) showing the fitted distributions in the signal region for the different ${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channels (from left to right: 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$, 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$, 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$). The jet multiplicity is fit for the 0-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ region, whereas the ${\mathrm {DNN}_{{\mathrm{t} \mathrm{\bar{t}}}}}$ score is fit for the 1-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ and 2-${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ regions. The first and third row show the background-only fits and the second and fourth rows show the fit including the signal.

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Figure 4:
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits on the product of the VLL pair production cross section and the branching fraction to third generation quarks and leptons, combining the 2017 and 2018 data and all ${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ multiplicity channels. The theoretical prediction in the 4321 model for electroweak production of {VLL}s is also shown.
Tables

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Table 1:
Illustrative contributions from different VLL production and decay modes to the 0-$\tau$, 1-$\tau$, and 2-$\tau$ signal regions. The decay products in parentheses represent the objects coming from the intermediate vector leptoquark, U, in the decay. In the table, no distinction is made between particles and antiparticles, the multiplicities of each decay mode are not shown, and the impacts of object misidentification are not considered. The charged and neutral {VLL}s are represented by E and N; j represents any quark other than t or b.

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Table 2:
Estimated ${\tau _\mathrm {h}}$ identification efficiencies and jet misidentification rates for the DeepTau algorithm used in the analysis.

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Table 3:
List of input features used during training of the ABCNet model for VLL classification.
Summary
The first search for vector-like leptons (VLLs) in the context of the 4321 model has been presented, using proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at $ \sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 96.5 fb$ ^{-1} $. The probed model consists of an extension of the standard model with an SU(4) $\times$ SU(3)' $ \times$ SU(2)$_{\text{L}}$ $\times$ U(1)' gauge sector that can provide a combined explanation for multiple anomalies observed in b hadron decays, which point to lepton flavour nonuniversality. In the model, a leptoquark is predicted as the primary source of lepton flavour nonuniversality, while the ultraviolet-completion predicts additional vector-like fermion families. In particular, VLLs are investigated via their couplings to standard model fermions through leptoquark interactions, resulting in third-generation fermion signatures. Final states containing at least three b-tagged jets and varying $ \tau $ lepton multiplicities are considered. To improve the search sensitivity, graph neural networks are trained to discriminate between classes of events using the kinematic relationships between particles in an environment with high jet multiplicity. An excess of 2.8 standard deviations over the standard model background-only hypothesis was observed in the data at the representative VLL mass point of 600 GeV. As a result, no VLL masses are excluded at the 95% confidence level and limits on the product of the VLL pair production cross section and their branching ratio to third generation fermions are set between 10 and 30 fb, depending on the VLL mass hypothesis.
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