Search for lepton-flavor violation in Z-boson decays with τ leptons with the ATLAS detector

ATLAS Collaboration

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27 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A search for lepton-flavor-violating Z → eτ and Z → μτ decays with pp collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. This analysis uses 139 fb-1 of Run 2 pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV and is combined with the results of a similar ATLAS search in the final state in which the τ lepton decays hadronically, using the same data set as well as Run 1 data. The addition of leptonically decaying τ leptons significantly improves the sensitivity reach for Z → ℓτ decays. The Z → ℓτ branching fractions are constrained in this analysis to B(Z → eτ) < 7.0 × 10-6 and B(Z → μτ) < 7.2 × 10-6 at 95% confidence level. The combination with the previously published analyses sets the strongest constraints to date: B(Z → eτ) < 5.0 × 10-6 and B(Z → μτ) < 6.5 × 10-6 at 95% confidence level.

Original languageEnglish
Article number271801
Pages (from-to)271801-1-271801-20
Number of pages20
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume127
Issue number27
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2021
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

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