Engineering topics

Alvarez Estevez, M. (ORCID:0000000281816532)

Publications and source records attributed to Alvarez Estevez, M. (ORCID:0000000281816532).

At least 19 records

DOE OSTI2025

Search for Dark Matter Produced in Association with a Dark Higgs Boson in the b b ¯ Final State Using p p Collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

A search is performed for dark matter particles produced in association with a resonantly produced pair of b -quarks with 30 < m b b < 150 GeV using 140 fb − 1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. This signature is expected in extensions of the standard model predicting the production of dark matter particles, in particular those containing a dark Higgs boson s that decays into b b ¯ . The highly boosted s → b b ¯ topology is reconstructed using jet reclustering and a new identification algorithm. This search places stringent constraints across regions of the dark Higgs model parameter space that satisfy the observed relic density, excluding dark Higgs bosons with masses between 30 and 150 GeV in benchmark scenarios with Z ′ mediator masses up to 4.8 TeV at 95% confidence level. © 2025 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2025 CERN

Aad, G. (ORCID:0000000266654934)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Search for Magnetic Monopole Pair Production in Ultraperipheral Pb + Pb Collisions at s NN = 5.36 TeV with the ATLAS Detector at the LHC

This Letter presents a search for highly ionizing magnetic monopoles in 262 μ b − 1 of ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collision data at s NN = 5.36 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. A new methodology that exploits the properties of clusters of hits reconstructed in the innermost silicon detector layers is introduced to study highly ionizing particles in heavy-ion data. No significant excess above the background, which is estimated using a data-driven technique, is observed. Using a nonperturbative semiclassical model, upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the cross section for pair production of monopoles with a single Dirac magnetic charge in the mass range of 20–150 GeV. Depending on the model, monopoles with a single Dirac magnetic charge and mass below 80–120 GeV are excluded. © 2025 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2025 CERN

Aad, G. (ORCID:0000000266654934)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Constraint on the total width of the Higgs boson from Higgs boson and four-top-quark measurements in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This Letter presents a constraint on the total width of the Higgs boson (Γ H ) using a combined measurement of on-shell Higgs boson production and the production of four top quarks, which involves contributions from off-shell Higgs boson-mediated processes. This method relies on the assumption that the tree-level Higgs-top Yukawa coupling strength is the same for on-shell and off-shell Higgs boson production processes, thereby avoiding any assumptions about the relationship between on-shell and off-shell gluon fusion Higgs production rates, which were central to previous measurements. The result is based on up to 140 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit on Γ H is 450 MeV (75 MeV). Additionally, considering the constraint on the Higgs-top Yukawa coupling from loop-induced Higgs boson production and decay processes further yields an observed (expected) upper limit of 160 MeV (55 MeV).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of top-quark pair production in association with charm quarks in proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Inclusive cross-sections or top-quark pair production in association with charm quarks are measured with proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 , collected with the ATLAS experiment at LHC between 2015 and 2018. The measurements are performed by requiring one or two charged leptons (electrons and muons), two b-tagged jets, and at least one additional jet in the final state. A custom flavor-tagging algorithm is employed for the simultaneous identification of b-jets and c-jets. In a fiducial phase space that replicates the acceptance of the ATLAS detector, the cross-sections for $t\bar{t}$ + ≥ 2c and $t\bar{t}$ + 1c production are measured to be $1.28^{+0.27}_{-0.24}$ pb and $6.4^{+1.0}_{-0.9}$ pb, respectively. The measurements are primarily limited by uncertainties in the modeling of inclusive $t\bar{t}$ and $t\bar{t}$ + $b\bar{b}$ production, in the calibration of the flavor-tagging algorithm, and by data statistics. Cross-section predictions from various $t\bar{t}$ simulations are largely consistent with the measured cross-section values, though all underpredict the observed values by 0.5 to 2.0 standard deviations. In a phase-space volume without requirements on the $t\bar{t}$ decay products and the jet multiplicity, the cross-section ratios of $t\bar{t}$ + ≥ 2c and $t\bar{t}$ + 1c to total $t\bar{t}$ + jets production are determined to be (1.23 ± 0.25)% and (8.8 ± 1.3)%.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Combination of searches for singly and doubly charged Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson fusion in proton–proton collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A combination of searches for singly and doubly charged Higgs bosons, H ± and H ±± , produced via vector-boson fusion is performed using 140 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting decays to massive vector bosons in leptonic final states (electrons or muons) are considered. New constraints are reported on the production cross-section times branching fraction for charged Higgs boson masses between 200 GeV and 3000 GeV. The results are interpreted in the context of the Georgi-Machacek model for which the most stringent constraints to date are set for the masses considered in the combination.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurements of Lund subjet multiplicities in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS detector

This Letter presents a differential cross-section measurement of Lund subjet multiplicities, suitable for testing current and future parton shower Monte Carlo algorithms. This measurement is made in dijet events in 140 fb -1 of $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV proton–proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. The data are unfolded to account for acceptance and detector-related effects, and are then compared with several Monte Carlo models and to recent resummed analytical calculations. The experimental precision achieved in the measurement allows tests of higher-order effects in QCD predictions. Most predictions fail to accurately describe the measured data, particularly at large values of jet transverse momentum accessible at the Large Hadron Collider, indicating the measurement's utility as an input to future parton shower developments and other studies probing fundamental properties of QCD and the production of hadronic final states up to the TeV-scale.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Sensor response and radiation damage effects for 3D pixels in the ATLAS IBL Detector

Pixel sensors in 3D technology equip the outer ends of the staves of the Insertable B Layer (IBL), the innermost layer of the ATLAS Pixel Detector, which was installed before the start of LHC Run 2 in 2015. 3D pixel sensors are expected to exhibit more tolerance to radiation damage and are the technology of choice for the innermost layer in the ATLAS tracker upgrade for the HL-LHC programme. While the LHC has delivered an integrated luminosity of ≃ 235 fb -1 since the start of Run 2, the 3D sensors have received a non-ionising energy deposition corresponding to a fluence of ≃ 8.5 × 10 14 1 MeV neutron-equivalent cm -2 averaged over the sensor area. This paper presents results of measurements of the 3D pixel sensors' response during Run 2 and the first two years of Run 3, with predictions of its evolution until the end of Run 3 in 2025. Data are compared with radiation damage simulations, based on detailed maps of the electric field in the Si substrate, at various fluence levels and bias voltage values. These results illustrate the potential of 3D technology for pixel applications in high-radiation

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Search for pair production of boosted Higgs bosons via vector-boson fusion in the $b$$\overline{b}$$b$$\overline{b}$ final state using $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for Higgs boson pair production via vector-boson fusion is performed in the Lorentz-boosted regime, where a Higgs boson candidate is reconstructed as a single large-radius jet, using 140 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Only Higgs boson decays into bottom quark pairs are considered. The search is particularly sensitive to the quartic coupling between two vector bosons and two Higgs bosons relative to its Standard Model prediction, K 2V . This study constrains K 2V to 0.55 < K 2V < 1.49 at the 95% confidence level. The value K 2V = 0 is excluded with a significance of 3.8 standard deviations with other Higgs boson couplings fixed to their Standard Model values. A search for new heavy spin-0 resonances that would mediate Higgs boson pair production via vector-boson fusion is carried out in the mass range of 1–5 TeV for the first time under several model and decay-width assumptions. No significant deviation from the Standard Model hypothesis is observed and exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are derived.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Accuracy versus precision in boosted top tagging with the ATLAS detector

The identification of top quark decays where the top quark has a large momentum transverse to the beam axis, known as top tagging , is a crucial component in many measurements of Standard Model processes and searches for beyond the Standard Model physics at the Large Hadron Collider. Machine learning techniques have improved the performance of top tagging algorithms, but the size of the systematic uncertainties for all proposed algorithms has not been systematically studied. This paper presents the performance of several machine learning based top tagging algorithms on a dataset constructed from simulated proton-proton collision events measured with the ATLAS detector at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The systematic uncertainties associated with these algorithms are estimated through an approximate procedure that is not meant to be used in a physics analysis, but is appropriate for the level of precision required for this study. The most performant algorithms are found to have the largest uncertainties, motivating the development of methods to reduce these uncertainties without compromising performance. To enable such efforts in the wider scientific community, the datasets used in this paper are made publicly available.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2024

Search for pair-produced higgsinos decaying via Higgs or Z bosons to final states containing a pair of photons and a pair of b -jets with the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for the pair production of higgsinos $\tilde{X}$ in gauge-mediated supersymmetry models, where the lightest neutralinos $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ decay into a light gravitino $\tilde{G}$ in association with either a Higgs h or a Z boson. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13TeV. It targets final states in which a Higgs boson decays into a photon pair, while the other Higgs or Z boson decays into a $b\overline{b}$ pair, with missing transverse momentum associated with the two gravitinos. Search regions dependent on the amount of missing transverse momentum are defined by the requirements that the diphoton mass should be consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson, and the $b\overline{b}$ mass with the mass of the Higgs or Z boson. The main backgrounds are estimated with data-driven methods using the sidebands of the diphoton mass distribution. No excesses beyond Standard Model expectations are observed and higgsinos with masses up to 320 GeV are excluded, assuming a branching fraction of 100% for $\tilde{X}^{0}_{1}$ → h$\tilde{G}$. This analysis excludes higgsinos with masses of 130GeV for branching fractions to h$\tilde{G}$ as low as 36%, thus providing complementarity to previous ATLAS searches in final states with multiple leptons or multiple b-jets, targeting different decays of the electroweak bosons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Search for heavy Majorana neutrinos in e ± e ± and e ± μ ± final states via WW scattering in pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for heavy Majorana neutrinos in scattering of same-sign W boson pairs in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the LHC is reported. The dataset used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 , collected with the ATLAS detector during 2015–2018. The search is performed in final states including a same-sign ee or eμ pair and at least two jets with large invariant mass and a large rapidity difference. No significant excess of events with respect to the Standard Model background predictions is observed. The results are interpreted in a benchmark scenario of the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model. New constraints are set on the values of the |V eN | 2 and |V eN V$^{*}_{μN}$| parameters for heavy Majorana neutrino masses between 50 GeV and 20 TeV, where V ℓN is the matrix element describing the mixing of the heavy Majorana neutrino mass eigenstate with the Standard Model neutrino of flavour ℓ = e,μ. The sensitivity to the Weinberg operator is investigated and constraints on the effective ee and eμ Majorana neutrino masses are reported. The statistical combination of the ee and eμ channels with the previously published μμ channel is performed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Combination and summary of ATLAS dark matter searches interpreted in a 2HDM with a pseudo-scalar mediator using 139 fb -1 of $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV $pp$ collision data

Results from a wide range of searches targeting different experimental signatures with and without missing transverse momentum ($E^{miss}_T$) ) are used to constrain a Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) with an additional pseudo-scalar mediating the interaction between ordinary and dark matter (2HDM+a). The analyses use up to 139 fb -1 of proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider during 2015–2018. The results from three of the most sensitive searches are combined statistically. These searches target signatures with large $E^{miss}_T$ and a leptonically decaying Z boson; large $E^{miss}_T$ and a Higgs boson decaying to bottom quarks; and production of charged Higgs bosons in final states with top and bottom quarks, respectively. Constraints are derived for several common and new benchmark scenarios in the 2HDM+a.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of vector boson production cross sections and their ratios using pp collisions at s = 13.6 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Fiducial and total W± and Z boson cross sections, their ratios and the ratio of top-antitop-quark pair and W-boson fiducial cross sections are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13.6 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 29 fb−1 of data collected in 2022 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured fiducial cross-section values for W+→ℓ+ν, W−→ℓ−ν¯, and Z→ℓ+ℓ− (ℓ=e or μ) boson productions are 4250±150 pb, 3310±120 pb, and 744±20 pb, respectively, where the uncertainty is the total uncertainty, including that arising from the luminosity of about 2.2%. The measurements are in agreement with Standard-Model predictions calculated at next-to-next-to-leading-order in αs, next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy and next-to-leading-order electroweak accuracy.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the VH,H → ττ process with the ATLAS detector at 13 TeV

A measurement of the Standard Model Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons is presented. This search is based on proton-proton collision data collected at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 . For the Higgs boson candidate, only final states with at least one τ-lepton decaying hadronically (τ→hadrons+ν τ ) are considered. For the vector bosons, only leptonic decay channels are considered: Z→ℓℓ and W→ℓν ℓ , with ℓ=e,μ. An excess of events over the expected background is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.2 (3.6) standard deviations, providing evidence of the Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons. The ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model prediction is μ$_{VH}^{ττ}$=1.28$_{-0.29}^{+0.30}$(stat.)$_{-0.21}^{+0.25}$(syst.). This result represents the most accurate measurement of the VH(ττ) process achieved to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

The ATLAS trigger system for LHC Run 3 and trigger performance in 2022

The ATLAS trigger system is a crucial component of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is responsible for selecting events in line with the ATLAS physics programme. This paper presents an overview of the changes to the trigger and data acquisition system during the second long shutdown of the LHC, and shows the performance of the trigger system and its components in the proton-proton collisions during the 2022 commissioning period as well as its expected performance in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions for the remainder of the third LHC data-taking period (2022–2025).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Beam-induced backgrounds measured in the ATLAS detector during local gas injection into the LHC beam vacuum

Inelastic beam-gas collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), within a few hundred metres of the ATLAS experiment, are known to give the dominant contribution to beam backgrounds. These are monitored by ATLAS with a dedicated Beam Conditions Monitor (BCM) and with the rate of fake jets in the calorimeters. These two methods are complementary since the BCM probes backgrounds just around the beam pipe while fake jets are observed at radii of up to several metres. In order to quantify the correlation between the residual gas density in the LHC beam vacuum and the experimental backgrounds recorded by ATLAS, several dedicated tests were performed during LHC Run 2. Local pressure bumps, with a gas density several orders of magnitude higher than during normal operation, were introduced at different locations. The changes of beam-related backgrounds, seen in ATLAS, are correlated with the local pressure variation. In addition the rates of beam-gas events are estimated from the pressure measurements and pressure bump profiles obtained from calculations. Using these rates, the efficiency of the ATLAS beam background monitors to detect beam-gas events is derived as a function of distance from the interaction point. These efficiencies and characteristic distributions of fake jets from the beam backgrounds are found to be in good agreement with results of beam-gas simulations performed with theFluka Monte Carlo programme.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Combination of Searches for Resonant Higgs Boson Pair Production Using p p Collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

A combination of searches for a new resonance decaying into a Higgs boson pair is presented, using up to 139 fb − 1 of p p collision data at s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The combination includes searches performed in three decay channels: b b ¯ b b ¯ , b b ¯ τ + τ − , and b b ¯ γ γ . No excess above the expected Standard Model background is observed and upper limits are set at the 95% confidence level on the production cross section of Higgs boson pairs originating from the decay of a narrow scalar resonance with mass in the range 251 GeV–5 TeV. The observed (expected) limits are in the range 0.96–600 fb (1.2–390 fb). The limits are interpreted in the type-I two-Higgs-doublet model and the minimal supersymmetric standard model, and constrain parameter space not previously excluded by other searches. © 2024 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration 2024 CERN

Aad, G. (ORCID:0000000266654934)↗

DOE OSTI2024

Searches for exclusive Higgs boson decays into D *$\gamma$ and Z boson decays into D 0 $\gamma$ and K $^{0}_{s}$$\gamma$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Searches for exclusive decays of the Higgs boson into D*$\gamma$ and of the Z boson into D 0 $\gamma$ and K$_{s}^{0}$$\gamma$ can probe flavour-violating Higgs boson and Z boson couplings to light quarks. Searches for these decays are performed with a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136.3 fb -1 collected at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13TeV between 2016–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. In the D*$\gamma$ and D 0 $\gamma$ channels, the observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the respective branching fractions are B(H→D*$\gamma$) < 1.0(1.2)×10 -3 , B(Z→D 0 $\gamma$) < 4.0(3.4)×10 -6 , while the corresponding results in the K$_{s}^{0}$$\gamma$ channel are B(Z→K$_{s}^{0}$$\gamma$) < 3.1(3.0)×10 -6 .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗