Search

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 5fb-1 of sqrt(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.

Many extensions of the Standard Model posit the existence of heavy particles with long lifetimes. In this Letter, results are presented of a search for such particles, which decay at a significant distance from their production point, using a final state containing charged hadrons and an associated muon. This analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)= 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb-1 collected in 2011 by the ATLAS detector operating at the Large Hadron Collider. Results are interpreted in the context of R-parity violating supersymmetric scenarios. No events in the signal region are observed and limits are set on the production cross section for supersymmetric particles, multiplied by the square of the branching ratio for a neutralino to decay to charged hadrons and a muon, as a function of the neutralino lifetime. To allow these limits to be used in a variety of models, they are presented for a range of squark and neutralino masses.

A search for new particles that decay into top quark pairs (t (t) over bar) is performed with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1) of proton-proton (pp) collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV. In the t (t) over bar) -> WbWb decay, the lepton plus jets final state is used, where one W boson decays leptonically and the other hadronically. The t (t) over bar) system is reconstructed using both small-radius and large-radius jets, the latter being supplemented by a jet substructure analysis. A search for local excesses in the number of data events compared to the Standard Model expectation in the t (t) over bar) invariant mass spectrum is performed. No evidence for a t (t) over bar) resonance is found and 95% credibility-level limits on the production rate are determined for massive states predicted in two benchmark models. The upper limits on the cross section times branching ratio of a narrow Z' resonance range from 5.1 pb for a boson mass of 0.5 TeV to 0.03 pb for a mass of 3 TeV. A narrow leptophobic topcolor Z' resonance with a mass below 1.74 TeV is excluded. Limits are also derived for a broad color-octet resonance with m 15.3%. A Kaluza-Klein excitation of the gluon in a Randall-Sundrum model is excluded for masses below 2.07 TeV.

A search has been performed for photons originating in the decay of a neutral long-lived particle, exploiting the capabilities of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter to make precise measurements of the flight direction of photons, as well as the calorimeter's excellent time resolution. The search has been made in the diphoton plus missing transverse energy final state, using the full data sample of 4.8 fb(-1) of 7 TeV proton-proton collisions collected in 2011 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No excess is observed above the background expected from Standard Model processes. The results are used to set exclusion limits in the context of gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking models, with the lightest neutralino being the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle and decaying with a lifetime in excess of 0.25 ns into a photon and a gravitino.

Results of a search for new phenomena in events with an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV are reported. Data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb-1 are used. Good agreement is observed between the data and the Standard Model predictions. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with large extra spatial dimensions and on pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates.

The results of a search for pair production of light top squarks are presented, using 4.7 fb^-1 of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV proton-proton collisions collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This search targets top squarks with masses similar to, or lighter than, the top quark mass. Final states containing exclusively one or two leptons (e, mu), large missing transverse momentum, light-jets and b-jets are used to reconstruct the top squark pair system. Global mass scale variables are used to separate the signal from a large ttbar background. No excess over the Standard Model expectations is found. The results are interpreted in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, assuming the top squark decays exclusively to a chargino and a b-quark. Light top squarks with masses between 123-167 GeV are excluded for neutralino masses around 55 GeV.

A search is presented for production of a heavy up-type quark (t') together with its antiparticle, assuming a significant branching ratio for subsequent decay into a W boson and a b quark. The search is based on 4.7 fb^-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV recorded in 2011 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data are analyzed in the lepton+jets final state, characterized by a high-transverse-momentum isolated electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum and at least three jets. The analysis strategy relies on the substantial boost of the W bosons in the t't'bar signal when mt'>=400 GeV. No significant excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and the result of the search is interpreted in the context of fourth-generation and vector-like quark models. Under the assumption of a branching ratio BR(t'->Wb)=1, a fourth-generation t' quark with mass lower than 656 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level. In addition, in light of the recent discovery of a new boson of mass ~126 GeV at the LHC, upper limits are derived in the two-dimensional plane of BR(t'->Wb) versus BR(t'->Ht), where H is the Standard Model Higgs boson, for vector-like quarks of various masses.

The ATLAS experiment has observed 1995 Z boson candidates in data corresponding to 0.15 inverse nb of integrated luminosity obtained in the 2011 LHC Pb+Pb run at sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV. The Z bosons are reconstructed via di-electron and di-muon decay channels, with a background contamination of less than 3%. Results from the two channels are consistent and are combined. Within the statistical and systematic uncertainties, the per-event Z boson yield is proportional to the number of binary collisions estimated by the Glauber model. The elliptic anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution of the Z boson with respect to the event plane is found to be consistent with zero.

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb(-1) of root s = 7 TeV proton-proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results.

This Letter reports a search for a heavy particle that decays to WW using events produced in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. The data were recorded in 2011 by the ATLAS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb-1. WW to l nu l' nu'(l, l' = e or mu) final states are considered and the distribution of the transverse mass of the WW candidates is found to be consistent with Standard Model expectations. Upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio into W boson pairs are set for Randall-Sundrum and bulk Randall-Sundrum gravitons, which result in observed 95% CL lower limits on the masses of the two particles of 1.23 TeV and 0.84 TeV, respectively.

In order to study further the long-range correlations (¿ridge¿) observed recently in p + Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV, the second-order azimuthal anisotropy parameter of charged particles, v(2), has been measured with the cumulant method using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1 μb(-1), the parameter v(2) has been obtained using two- and four-particle cumulants over the pseudorapidity range vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.5. The results are presented as a function of transverse momentum and the event activity, defined in terms of the transverse energy summed over 3.1 < eta < 4.9 in the direction of the Pb beam. They show features characteristic of collective anisotropic flow, similar to that observed in Pb + Pb collisions. A comparison is made to results obtained using two-particle correlation methods, and to predictions from hydrodynamic models of p + Pb collisions. Despite the small transverse spatial extent of the p + Pb collision system, the large magnitude of v(2) and its similarity to hydrodynamic predictions provide additional evidence for the importance of final-state effects in p + Pb reactions.

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 7 TeV corresponding to 4.6 inverse femtobarns 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.

This Letter reports a measurement of the high-mass Drell-Yan differential cross-section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC. Based on an integrated luminosity of 4.9 /fb, the differential cross-section in the Z/gamma* to e+e- channel is measured with the ATLAS detector as a function of the invariant mass, Mee, in the range 116 < Mee < 1500 GeV, for a fiducial region in which both the electron and the positron have transverse momentum pT > 25 GeV and pseudorapidity eta < 2.5. A comparison is made to various event generators and to the predictions of perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order.

The integrated and differential fiducial cross sections for the production of a W or Z boson in association with a high-energy photon are measured using pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV. The analyses use a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS detector during the 2011 LHC data-taking period. Events are selected using leptonic decays of the W and Z bosons [W(e nu, μnu) and Z(e(+)e(-), mu(+)mu(-), nu(nu) over bar)] with the requirement of an associated isolated photon. The data are used to test the electroweak sector of the Standard Model and search for evidence for new phenomena. The measurements are used to probe the anomalous WW gamma, ZZ gamma, and Z gamma gamma triple-gauge-boson couplings and to search for the production of vector resonances decaying to Z gamma and W gamma. No deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed and limits are placed on anomalous triple-gauge-boson couplings and on the production of new vector meson resonances.

Two-particle correlations in relative azimuthal angle (Delta phi) and pseudorapidity (Delta eta) are measured in root S-NN = 5.02 TeV p + Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements are performed using approximately 1 μb(-1) of data as a function of transverse momentum (p(T)) and the transverse energy (Sigma E-T(Pb)) summed over 3.1 < eta < 4.9 in the direction of the Pb beam. The correlation function, constructed from charged particles, exhibits a long-range (2 < vertical bar Delta eta vertical bar < 5) ¿near-side¿ (Delta phi similar to 0) correlation that grows rapidly with increasing Sigma E-T(Pb). A long-range ¿away-side¿ (Delta phi similar to pi) correlation, obtained by subtracting the expected contributions from recoiling dijets and other sources estimated using events with small Sigma E-T(Pb), is found to match the near-side correlation in magnitude, shape (in Delta eta and Delta phi) and Sigma E-T(Pb) dependence. The resultant Delta phi correlation is approximately symmetric about pi/2, and is consistent with a dominant cos2 Delta phi modulation for all Sigma E-T(Pb) ranges and particle p(T).

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 sqrt(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

Measurements are presented of differential cross-sections for top quark pair production in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV relative to the total inclusive top quark pair production cross-section. A data sample of 2.05/fb recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is used. Relative differential cross-sections are derived as a function of the invariant mass, the transverse momentum and the rapidity of the top quark pair system. Events are selected in the lepton (electron or muon) + jets channel. The background-subtracted differential distributions are corrected for detector effects, normalized to the total inclusive top quark pair production cross-section and compared to theoretical predictions. The measurement uncertainties range typically between 10% and 20% and are generally dominated by systematic effects. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectations are observed.

The measurement of charged-particle event shape variables is presented in inclusive inelastic pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observables studied are the transverse thrust, thrust minor, and transverse sphericity, each defined using the final-state charged particles' momentum components perpendicular to the beam direction. Events with at least six charged particles are selected by a minimum-bias trigger. In addition to the differential distributions, the evolution of each event shape variable as a function of the leading charged-particle transverse momentum, charged-particle multiplicity, and summed transverse momentum is presented. Predictions from several Monte Carlo models show significant deviations from data.

A search is performed for collimated muon pairs displaced from the primary vertex produced in the decay of long-lived neutral particles in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy, with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. In a 1.9 fb(-1) event sample collected during 2011, the observed data are consistent with the Standard Model background expectations. Limits on the product of the production cross section and the branching ratio of a Higgs boson decaying to hidden-sector neutral long-lived particles are derived as a function of the particles' mean lifetime.

The dynamics of isolated-photon plus jet production in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV has been studied with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of 37 pb(-1). Measurements of isolated-photon plus jet bin-averaged cross sections are presented as functions of photon transverse energy, jet transverse momentum and jet rapidity. In addition, the bin-averaged cross sections as functions of the difference between the azimuthal angles of the photon and the jet, the photon jet invariant mass and the scattering angle in the photon jet centre-of-mass frame have been measured. Next-to-leading-order QCD calculations are compared to the measurements and provide a good description of the data, except for the case of the azimuthal opening angle.

A search for non-resonant new phenomena, originating from either contact interactions or large extra spatial dimensions, has been carried out using events with two isolated electrons or muons. These events, produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, were recorded by the ATLAS detector. The data sample, collected throughout 2011, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 and 5.0 fb-1 in the e+e- and mu+mu- channels, respectively. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed. Using a Bayesian approach, 95% confidence limit lower limits ranging from 9.0 to 13.9 TeV are placed on the energy scale of llqq contact interactions in the left-left isoscalar model. Lower limits ranging from 2.4 to 3.9 TeV are also set on the string scale in large extra dimension models. After combination of these limits with results from a similar search in the diphoton channel, slightly more stringent limits are obtained.

A measurement of angular correlations in Drell-Yan lepton pairs via the phistar 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 sqrt(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 phistar 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 phistar 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. Some of the Monte Carlo event generators are also able to describe the data. The measurement precision is typically better by one order of magnitude than present theoretical uncertainties.

Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of lead-lead collisions at root S-NN = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 7 μb(-1), ATLAS has measured jets with a calorimeter system over the pseudorapidity interval vertical bar eta vertical bar < 2.1 and over the transverse momentum range 38 < pT

A search for highly ionising, penetrating particles with electric charges from |q| = 2e to 6e is performed using the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Proton-proton collision data taken at sqrt(s)=7 TeV during the 2011 running period, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb^-1, are analysed. No signal candidates are observed, and 95% confidence level cross-section upper limits are interpreted as mass-exclusion lower limits for a simplified Drell--Yan production model. In this model, masses are excluded from 50 GeV up to 430, 480, 490, 470 and 420 GeV for charges 2e, 3e, 4e, 5e and 6e, respectively.

This paper presents a measurement of the W+W- production cross section in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV. The leptonic decay channels are analyzed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4: 6 fb(-1) collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The W+W- production cross section sigma(pp -> W+W- + X) is measured to be 51.9 +/- 2.0(stat) +/- 3.9(syst) +/- 2.0(lumi) pb, compatible with the Standard Model prediction of 44.7(-1.9)(+2.1) pb. A measurement of the normalized fiducial cross section as a function of the leading lepton transverse momentum is also presented. The reconstructed transverse momentum distribution of the leading lepton is used to extract limits on anomalous WWZ and WW gamma couplings.

A search for the electroweak pair production of charged sleptons and weak gauginos decaying into final states with two leptons is performed using 4.7 fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s)=7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excesses are observed with respect to the prediction from Standard Model processes. In the scenario of direct slepton production, if the sleptons decay directly into the lightest neutralino, left-handed slepton masses between 85 and 195 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for a 20 GeV neutralino. Chargino masses between 110 and 340 GeV are excluded in the scenario of direct production of wino-like chargino pairs decaying into the lightest neutralino via an intermediate on-shell charged slepton for a 10 GeV neutralino. The results are also interpreted in the framework of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric Standard Model.

This Letter presents a search for high-mass resonances decaying into tau+tau- final states using proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV produced by the Large Hadron Collider. The data were recorded with the ATLAS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 inverse femtobarns. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed; 95% credibility upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction of Z' resonances decaying into tau+tau- pairs as a function of the resonance mass. As a result, Z' bosons of the Sequential Standard Model with masses less than 1.40 TeV are excluded at 95% credibility.

This Letter presents the results of a search for a heavy particle decaying into an e(+/-)mu(+/-), e(+/-)tau(+/-), or mu(+/-)tau(+/-) final state in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV. The data were recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb(-1). No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and exclusions at 95% confidence level are placed on the cross section times branching ratio for the production of an R-parity-violating supersymmetric tau sneutrino. For a sneutrino mass of 500 (2000) GeV, the observed limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are 3.2 (1.4) fb, 42 (17) fb, and 40 (18) fb for the e mu, e tau, and μtau modes, respectively. These results considerably extend constraints from Tevatron experiments.

A measurement of the Lambda(0)(b) lifetime and mass in the decay channel Lambda(0)(b) -> J/psi (mu(+) mu(-))Lambda(0)(p pi(-)) is presented. The analysis uses a signal sample of about 2200 Lambda(0)(b) and (Lambda) over bar (0)(b) decays that are reconstructed in 4.9 fb(-1) of ATLAS pp collision data collected in 2011 at the LHC center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. A simultaneous mass and decay time maximum likelihood fit is used to extract the Lambda(0)(b) lifetime and mass. They are measured to be tau(Lambda b) = 1.449 +/- 0.036(stat) +/- 0.017(syst) ps and m(Lambda b) = 5619.7 +/- 0.7(stat) +/- 1.1(syst) MeV.

The jet energy scale (JES) and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 inverse pb. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0.4 or R=0.6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pt > 20 GeV and pseudorapidities eta 50 GeV after a dedicated correction for this effect. The JES is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pt, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pt jets recoiling against a high-pt jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, providing an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The JES systematic uncertainty determined from a combination of in situ techniques are consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pt jets.

A search for resonant diboson production using a data sample corresponding to 4.7 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV is presented. The search for a narrow resonance in the WW or WZ mass distribution is conducted in a final state with an electron or a muon, missing transverse momentum, and at least two jets. No significant excess is observed and limits are set using three benchmark models: WW resonance masses below 940 and 710 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for spin-2 Randall-Sundrum and bulk Randall-Sundrum gravitons, respectively; WZ resonance masses below 950 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for a spin-1 extended gauge model W' boson.

The measurement of missing transverse momentum in the ATLAS detector, described in this paper, makes use of the full event reconstruction and a calibration based on reconstructed physics objects. The performance of the missing transverse momentum reconstruction is evaluated using data collected in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV in 2010. Minimum bias events and events with jets of hadrons are used from data samples corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 0.3 nb(-1) and 600 nb(-1) respectively, together with events containing a Z boson decaying to two leptons (electrons or muons) or a W boson decaying to a lepton (electron or muon) and a neutrino, from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 36 pb(-1). An estimate of the systematic uncertainty on the missing transverse momentum scale is presented.

A search for doubly charged Higgs bosons decaying to pairs of electrons and/or muons is presented. The search is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Pairs of prompt, isolated, high-p(T) leptons with the same electric charge (e(+/-)e(+/-), e(+/-)mu, mu(+/-)mu(+/-)) are selected, and their invariant mass distribution is searched for a narrow resonance. No significant excess over Standard Model background expectations is observed, and limits are placed on the cross section times branching ratio for pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons. The masses of doubly charged Higgs bosons are constrained depending on the branching ratio into these leptonic final states. Assuming pair production, coupling to left-handed fermions, and a branching ratio of 100% for each final state, masses below 409 GeV, 375 GeV, and 398 GeV are excluded for e(+/-)e(+/-), e(+/-)mu(+/-),and mu(+/-)mu(+/-), respectively.

A measurement of the production cross section of top quark pairs (t (t) over bar) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. Candidate events are selected in the dilepton topology with large missing transverse energy and at least two jets. Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb(-1), a t (t) over bar production cross section sigma(t (t) over bar) = 177 +/- 20(stat.) +/- 14(syst.) +/- 7(lum.) pb is measured for an assumed top quark mass of m(t) = 172.5 GeV. A second measurement requiring at least one jet identified as coming from a b quark yields a comparable result, demonstrating that the dilepton final states are consistent with being accompanied by b-quark jets. These measurements are in good agreement with Standard Model predictions.

A measurement is presented of the inclusive cross-section for b-jet production in association with a Z boson in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 7 TeV. The analysis uses the data sample collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2010, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 36 pb(-1). The event selection requires a Z boson decaying into high P-T electrons or muons, and at least one b-jet, identified by its displaced vertex, with transverse momentum p(T) > 25 GeV and rapidity vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.1. After subtraction of background processes, the yield is extracted from the vertex mass distribution of the candidate b-jets. The ratio of this cross-section to the inclusive Z cross-section (the average number of b-jets per Z event) is also measured. Both results are found to be in good agreement with perturbative QCD predictions at next-to-leading order.

The ATLAS detector is used to search for excited leptons in the electromagnetic radiative decay channel l* -> l gamma. Results are presented based on the analysis of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.05 fb(-1). No evidence for excited leptons is found, and limits are set on the compositeness scale Lambda as a function of the excited lepton mass m(l*). In the special case where Lambda = m(l*), excited electron and muon masses below 1.87 TeV and 1.75 TeV are excluded at 95% C.L., respectively.

Distributions sensitive to the underlying event are studied in events containing one or more chargedparticle jets produced in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). These measurements reflect 800 μb(-1) of data taken during 2010. Jets are reconstructed using the anti-k(t) algorithm with radius parameter R varying between 0.2 and 1.0. Distributions of the charged-particle multiplicity, the scalar sum of the transverse momentum of charged particles, and the average charged-particle p(T) are measured as functions of p(T)(jet) in regions transverse to and opposite the leading jet for 4 GeV < p(T)(jet) < 100 GeV. In addition, the R dependence of the mean values of these observables is studied. In the transverse region, both the multiplicity and the scalar sum of the transverse momentum at fixed p(T)(jet) vary significantly with R, while the average charged- particle transverse momentum has a minimal dependence on R. Predictions from several Monte Carlo tunes have been compared to the data; the predictions from Pythia 6, based on tunes that have been determined using LHC data, show reasonable agreement with the data, including the dependence on R. Comparisons with other generators indicate that additional tuning of soft-QCD parameters is necessary for these generators. The measurements presented here provide a testing ground for further development of the Monte Carlo models.

A search for new phenomena in final states with four or more leptons (electrons or muons) is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb(-1) of root s = 7TeV proton-proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in two signal regions: one that requires moderate values of missing transverse momentum and another that requires large effective mass. The results are interpreted in a simplified model of R-parity-violating supersymmetry in which a 95% CL exclusion region is set for charged wino masses up to 540GeV. In an R-parity-violating MSUGRA/CMSSM model, values of m(1/2) up to 820GeV are excluded for 10 < tan beta < 40.

In this paper, a measurement of tau polarization in W -> tau nu decays is presented. It is measured from the energies of the decay products in hadronic tau decays with a single final state charged particle. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 24 pb(-1), were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2010. The measured value of the tau polarization is P-tau = -1.06 +/- 0.04 (stat)(-0.07)(+0.05) (syst), in agreement with the Standard Model prediction, and is consistent with a physically allowed 95 % CL interval [-1,-0.91]. Measurements of tau polarization have not previously been made at hadron colliders.

An inclusive search for anomalous production of two prompt, isolated leptons with the same electric charge is presented. The search is performed in a data sample corresponding to 4.7 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected in 2011 at root s = 7TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Pairs of leptons (e(+/-)e(+/-), e(+/-)mu(+/-), and mu(+/-)mu(+/-)) with large transverse momentum are selected, and the dilepton invariant mass distribution is examined for any deviation from the Standard Model expectation. No excess is found, and upper limits on the production cross section of like-sign lepton pairs from physics processes beyond the Standard Model are placed as a function of the dilepton invariant mass within a fiducial region close to the experimental selection criteria. The 95% confidence level upper limits on the cross section of anomalous e(+/-)e(+/-), e(+/-)mu(+/-), or mu(+/-)mu(+/-) production range between 1.7 fb and 64 fb depending on the dilepton mass and flavour combination.

The ATLAS detector at the LHC is used to search for high-mass states, such as heavy charged gauge bosons (W'), decaying to a charged lepton (electron or muon) and a neutrino. Results are presented based on the analysis of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1). No excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. A W' with Sequential Standard Model couplings is excluded at the 95 % credibility level for masses up to 2.55 TeV. Excited chiral bosons (W*) with equivalent coupling strength are excluded for masses up to 2.42 TeV.

A search for top quark pair resonances in final states containing at least one electron or muon has been performed with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The search uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.05 fb(-1), which was recorded in 2011 at a proton-proton centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. No evidence for a resonance is found and limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio to t (t) over bar for narrow and wide resonances. For narrow Z' bosons, the observed 95 % Bayesian credibility level limits range from 9.3 pb to 0.95 pb for masses in the range of m(Z') = 500 GeV to m(Z') = 1300 GeV. The corresponding excluded mass region for a leptophobic topcolour Z' boson (Kaluza-Klein gluon excitation in the Randall-Sundrum model) is m(Z') < 880 GeV (m(gKK) < 1130 GeV).

This Letter presents a search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in the decay channel H -> ZZ((*)) -> l(+)l(-)l(-)+l(')-, where l,l' = e or mu, using proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 fb(-1). The four-lepton invariant mass distribution is compared with Standard Model background expectations to derive upper limits on the cross section of a Standard Model Higgs boson with a mass between 110 GeV and 600 GeV. The mass ranges 134-156 GeV, 182-233 GeV, 256-265 GeV and 268-415 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. The largest upward deviations from the background-only hypothesis are observed for Higgs boson masses of 125 GeV, 244 GeV and 500 GeV with local significances of 2.1, 2.2 and 2.1 standard deviations, respectively. Once the look-elsewhere effect is considered, none of these excesses are significant.

A QCD analysis is reported of ATLAS data on inclusive W-+/- and Z boson production in pp collisions at the LHC, jointly with ep deep-inelastic scattering data from HERA. The ATLAS data exhibit sensitivity to the light quark sea composition and magnitude at Bjorken x similar to 0:01. Specifically, the data support the hypothesis of a symmetric composition of the light quark sea at low x. The ratio of the strange-to-down sea quark distributions is determined to be 1:00(-0:28)(+0.25) at absolute four-momentum transfer squared Q(2) = 1: 9 GeV2 and x = 0: 023.

A search for diphoton events with large missing transverse momentum has been performed using 1.07 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. No excess of events was observed above the Standard Model prediction and 95% Confidence Level (CL) upper limits are set on the production cross section for new physics. The limits depend on each model parameter space and vary as follows: sigma < (22-129) fb in the context of a generalised model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking (GGM) with a bino-like lightest neutralino, sigma < (27-91) fb in the context of a minimal model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking (SPS8), and sigma < (15-27) fb in the context of a specific model with one universal extra dimension (UED). A 95% CL lower limit of 805 GeV, for bino masses above 50 GeV, is set on the GGM gluino mass. Lower limits of 145 TeV and 1.23 TeV are set on the SPS8 breaking scale Lambda and on the UED compactification scale 1/R, respectively. These limits provide the most stringent tests of these models to date.

A measurement of the ZZ production cross section in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.02 fb(-1) recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC is presented. Twelve events containing two Z boson candidates decaying to electrons and/or muons are observed, with an expected background of 0.3 +/- 0.3(stat)(-0.3)(+0.4)(syst) events. The cross section measured in a phase-space region with good detector acceptance and for dilepton masses within the range 66 to 116 GeV is sigma(fid)(ZZ -> l+l-l+l-) = 19.4(-5.2)(+6.3)(stat)(-0.7)(+0.9)(syst) +/- 0.7(lumi) fb. The resulting total cross section for on-shell ZZ production, sigma(tot)(ZZ) = 8.5(-2.3)(+2.7)(stat)(-0.3)(+0.4)(syst) +/- 0.3(lumi) pb, is consistent with the standard model expectation of 6.5(-0.2)(+0.3) pb calculated at the next-to-leading order in QCD. Limits on anomalous neutral triple gauge boson couplings are derived.

This work presents a new inclusive search for supersymmetry (SUSY) by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV in final states with jets, missing transverse momentum and one or more isolated electrons and/or muons. The search is based on data from the full 2011 data-taking period, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb(-1). Single-lepton and multilepton channels are treated together in one analysis. An increase in sensitivity is obtained by simultaneously fitting the number of events in statistically independent signal regions, and the shapes of distributions within those regions. A dedicated signal region is introduced to be sensitive to decay cascades of SUSY particles with small mass differences (¿compressed SUSY¿). Background uncertainties are constrained by fitting to the jet-multiplicity distribution in background control regions. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations, and limits are set or extended on a number of SUSY models.

The chi(b)(np) quarkonium states are produced in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at root s=7 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb(-1), these states are reconstructed through their radiative decays to Y(1S,2S) with Y ->mu(+)mu(-). In addition to the mass peaks corresponding to the decay modes chi(b)(1P,2P)-> Y(1S)gamma, a new structure centered at a mass of 10.530 +/- 0.005(stat)+/- 0.009(syst) GeV is also observed, in both the Y(1S)gamma and Y(2S)gamma decay modes. This structure is interpreted as the chi(b)(3P) system.

This Letter presents a search for singly produced vector-like quarks, Q, coupling to light quarks, q. The search is sensitive to both charged current (CC) and neutral current (NC) processes, pp -> Qq -> Wqq' and pp -> Qq -> Zqq' with a leptonic decay of the vector gauge boson. In 1.04 fb(-1) of data taken in 2011 by the ATLAS experiment at a center-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV, no evidence of such heavy vector-like quarks is observed above the expected Standard Model background. Limits on the heavy vector-like quark production cross section times branching ratio as a function of mass m(Q) are obtained. For a coupling K-qQ = v/m(Q), where v is the Higgs vacuum expectation value, 95% C.L. lower limits on the mass of a vector-like quark are set at 900 GeV and 760 GeV from CC and NC processes, respectively.

The results of a search for supersymmetry in events with large missing transverse momentum and heavy-flavor jets using an integrated luminosity corresponding to 2.05 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. No significant excess is observed with respect to the prediction for standard model processes. Results are interpreted in a variety of R-parity conserving models in which scalar bottoms and tops are the only scalar quarks to appear in the gluino decay cascade, and in an SO(10) model framework. Gluino masses up to 600-900 GeV are excluded, depending on the model considered.