Measurement of the differential cross-section of B⁺ meson production in pp collisions at sqrts = 7 TeV at ATLAS

The production cross-section of B+ mesons is measured as a function of transverse momentum p T and rapidity y in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV, using 2.4 fb(-1) of data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The differential production cross-sections, determined in the range 9 GeV < p(T) < 120 GeV and vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.25, are compared to next-to-leading-order theoretical predictions.

Multi-channel search for squarks and gluinos in sqrts=7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetric particles in final states with zero, one, and two leptons, with and without jets identified as originating from b-quarks, in 4.7 fb(-1) of root s = 7 TeV pp collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded by the ATLAS detector is presented. The search uses a set of variables carrying information on the event kinematics transverse and parallel to the beam line that are sensitive to several topologies expected in supersymmetry. Mutually exclusive final states are defined, allowing a combination of all channels to increase the search sensitivity. No deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. Upper limits at 95 % confidence level on visible cross-sections for the production of new particles are extracted. Results are interpreted in the context of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension to the Standard Model and in supersymmetry-inspired models with diverse, high-multiplicity final states.

A search for prompt lepton-jets in pp collisions at sqrts=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

We present a search for a light (mass < 2 GeV) boson predicted by Hidden Valley supersymmetric models that decays into a final state consisting of collimated muons or electrons, denoted "lepton-jets". The analysis uses 5 fb(-1) of root s = 7 TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider to search for the following signatures: single lepton-jets with at least four muons; pairs of lepton-jets, each with two or more muons; and pairs of lepton-jets with two or more electrons. This study finds no statistically significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction and places 95% confidence-level exclusion limits on the production cross section times branching ratio of light bosons for several parameter sets of a Hidden Valley model.

Measurement of the distributions of event-by-event flow harmonics in lead-lead collisions at = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The distributions of event-by-event harmonic flow coefficients v_n for n=2-4 are measured in sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements are performed using charged particles with transverse momentum pT> 0.5 GeV and in the pseudorapidity range |eta|<2.5 in a dataset of approximately 7 ub^-1 recorded in 2010. The shapes of the v_n distributions are described by a two-dimensional Gaussian function for the underlying flow vector in central collisions for v_2 and over most of the measured centrality range for v_3 and v_4. Significant deviations from this function are observed for v_2 in mid-central and peripheral collisions, and a small deviation is observed for v_3 in mid-central collisions. It is shown that the commonly used multi-particle cumulants are insensitive to the deviations for v_2. The v_n distributions are also measured independently for charged particles with 0.51 GeV. When these distributions are rescaled to the same mean values, the adjusted shapes are found to be nearly the same for these two pT ranges. The v_n distributions are compared with the eccentricity distributions from two models for the initial collision geometry: a Glauber model and a model that includes corrections to the initial geometry due to gluon saturation effects. Both models fail to describe the experimental data consistently over most of the measured centrality range.

Measurement of Upsilon production in 7 TeV pp collisions at ATLAS

Using 1.8 fb(-1) of pp collisions at a center- of- mass energy of 7 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, we present measurements of the production cross sections of Upsilon(1S,2S,3S) mesons. Upsilon mesons are reconstructed using the dimuon decay mode. Total production cross sections for p(T) < 70 GeV and in the rapidity interval vertical bar y(Upsilon)vertical bar < 2. 25 are measured to be, 8.01 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.36 +/- 0.31 nb, 2.05 +/- 0.01 +/- 0.12 +/- 0.08 nb, and 0.92 +/- 0.01 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.04 nb, respectively, with uncertainties separated into statistical, systematic, and luminosity measurement effects. In addition, differential cross section times dimuon branching fractions for Upsilon(1S), Upsilon(2S), and Upsilon(3S) as a function of Upsilon transverse momentum pT and rapidity are presented. These cross sections are obtained assuming unpolarized production. If the production polarization is fully transverse or longitudinal with no azimuthal dependence in the helicity frame, the cross section may vary by approximately +/- 20%. If a nontrivial azimuthal dependence is considered, integrated cross sections may be significantly enhanced by a factor of 2 or more. We compare our results to several theoretical models of Upsilon meson production, finding that none provide an accurate description of our data over the full range of Upsilon transverse momenta accessible with this data set.

Measurement of the ttbar production cross section in the tau+jets channel using the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the top quark pair production cross section in the final state with a hadronically decaying tau lepton and jets is presented. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.67 fb(-1). The cross section is measured to be sigma(t (t) over bar) = 194 +/- 18 (stat.) +/- 46 (syst.) pb and is in agreement with other measurements and with the Standard Model prediction.

Search for the neutral Higgs bosons of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in pp collisions at sqrts=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for neutral Higgs bosons of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) is reported. The analysis is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The data were recorded in 2011 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1) to 4.8 fb(-1). Higgs boson decays into oppositely-charged in muon or tau lepton pairs are considered for final states requiring either the presence or absence of b-jets. No statistically significant excess over the expected background is observed and exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are derived. The exclusion limits are for the production cross-section of a generic neutral Higgs boson, phi, as a function of the Higgs boson mass and for h/A/H production in the MSSM as a function of the parameters m(A) and tan beta in the m(h)(max) scenario for m(A) in the range of 90 GeV to 500 GeV.

Measurement of angular correlations in Drell-Yan lepton pairs to probe Z/gamma* boson transverse momentum at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of angular correlations in Drell-Yan lepton pairs via the phi(eta)* observable is presented. This variable probes the same physics as the Z/gamma* boson transverse momentum with a better experimental resolution. The Z/gamma* -> e(+)e(-) and Z/gamma* -> mu(+)mu(-) decays produced in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 7 TeV are used. The data were collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1). Normalised differential cross sections as a function of phi(eta)* are measured separately for electron and muon decay channels. These channels are then combined for improved accuracy. The cross section is also measured double differentially as a function of phi(eta)* for three independent bins of the Z boson rapidity. The results are compared to QCD calculations and to predictions from different Monte Carlo event generators. The data are reasonably well described, in all measured Z boson rapidity regions, by resummed QCD predictions combined with fixed-order perturbative QCD calculations or by some Monte Carlo event generators. The measurement precision is typically better by one order of magnitude than present theoretical uncertainties.

Search for new phenomena in events with three charged leptons at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A generic search for anomalous production of events with at least three charged leptons is presented. The search uses a pp-collision data sample at a center-of-mass energy of root s = 7 TeV corresponding to 4.6 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected in 2011 by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Events are required to contain at least two electrons or muons, while the third lepton may either be an additional electron or muon, or a hadronically decaying tau lepton. Events are categorized by the presence or absence of a reconstructed tau-lepton or Z-boson candidate decaying to leptons. No significant excess above backgrounds expected from Standard Model processes is observed. Results are presented as upper limits on event yields from non-Standard-Model processes producing at least three prompt, isolated leptons, given as functions of lower bounds on several kinematic variables. Fiducial efficiencies for model testing are also provided. The use of the results is illustrated by setting upper limits on the production of doubly charged Higgs bosons decaying to same-sign lepton pairs.

Measurement of ℤℤ production in pp collisions at sqrts=7 TeV and limits on anomalous ℤℤℤ ℤℤgamma couplings with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the ZZ production cross section in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV using data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1) collected in 2011, events are selected that are consistent either with two Z bosons decaying to electrons or muons or with one Z boson decaying to electrons or muons and a second Z boson decaying to neutrinos. The ZZ((*)) -> l(+)l(-)l'(+)l'(-) and ZZ -> l(+)l(-) nu(nu) over bar cross sections are measured in restricted phase-space regions. These results are then used to derive the total cross section for ZZ events produced with both Z bosons in the mass range 66 to 116 GeV, sigma(tot)(ZZ) = 6.7 +/- 0.7 (stat.) (+0.4)(-0.3) (syst.) +/- 0.3 (lumi.) pb, which is consistent with the Standard Model prediction of 5.89(-0.18)(+0.22) pb calculated at next-to-leading order in QCD. The normalized differential cross sections in bins of various kinematic variables are presented. Finally, the differential event yield as a function of the transverse momentum of the leading Z boson is used to set limits on anomalous neutral triple gauge boson couplings in ZZ production.

Search for resonances decaying into top-quark pairs using fully hadronic decays in pp collisions with ATLAS at sqrts=7 TeV

A search for resonances produced in 7 TeV proton-proton collisions and decaying into top-quark pairs is described. In this Letter events where the top-quark decay produces two massive jets with large transverse momenta recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are considered. Two techniques that rely on jet substructure are used to separate top-quark jets from those arising from light quarks and gluons. In addition, each massive jet is required to have evidence of an associated bottom-quark decay. The data are consistent with the Standard Model, and limits can be set on the production cross section times branching fraction of a Z' boson and a Kaluza-Klein gluon resonance. These limits exclude, at the 95% credibility level, Z' bosons with masses 0.70-1.00 TeV as well as 1.28-1.32 TeV and Kaluza-Klein gluons with masses 0.70-1.62 TeV.

Measurement of isolated-photon pair production in pp collisions at sqrts=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC has measured the production cross section of events with two isolated photons in the final state, in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV. The full data set collected in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb(-1), is used. The amount of background, from hadronic jets and isolated electrons, is estimated with data-driven techniques and subtracted. The total cross section, for two isolated photons with transverse energies above 25 GeV and 22 GeV respectively, in the acceptance of the electromagnetic calorimeter (vertical bar eta vertical bar < 1.37 and 1.52 < vertical bar eta vertical bar 2.37) and with an angular separation Delta R > 0.4, is 44.0(-4.2)(+3.2) pb. The differential cross sections as a function of the di-photon invariant mass, transverse momentum, azimuthal separation, and cosine of the polar angle of the largest transverse energy photon in the Collins-Soper di-photon rest frame are also measured. The results are compared to the prediction of leading-order parton-shower and next-to-leading-order and next-to-next-to-leading-order parton-level generators.

Searches for heavy long-lived sleptons and R-Hadrons with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at sqrts TeV

A search for long-lived particles is performed using a data sample of 4.7 fb(-1) from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy. root s = 7 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No excess is observed above the estimated background and lower limits, at 95% confidence level, are set on the mass of the long-lived particles in different scenarios, based on their possible interactions in the inner detector, the calorimeters and the muon spectrometer. Long-lived staus in gauge-mediated SUSY-breaking models are excluded up to a mass of 300 GeV for tan beta = 5-20. Directly produced long-lived sleptons are excluded up to a mass of 278 GeV. R-hadrons, composites of gluino (stop, sbottom) and light quarks, are excluded up to a mass of 985 GeV (683 GeV, 612 GeV) when using a generic interaction model. Additionally two sets of limits on R-hadrons are obtained that are less sensitive to the interaction model for R-hadrons. One set of limits is obtained using only the inner detector and calorimeter observables, and a second set of limits is obtained based on the inner detector alone.

Search for supersymmetry in events with photons, bottom quarks, and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search has been performed for the experimental signature of an isolated photon with high transverse momentum, at least one jet identified as originating from a bottom quark, and high missing transverse momentum. Such a final state may originate from supersymmetric models with gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking in events in which one of a pair of higgsino-like neutralinos decays into a photon and a gravitino while the other decays into a Higgs boson and a gravitino. The search is performed using the full dataset of 7 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1). A total of 7 candidate events are observed while 7.5 +/- 2.2 events are expected from the Standard Model background. The results of the search are interpreted in the context of general gauge mediation to exclude certain regions of a benchmark plane for higgsino-like neutralino production.