Search for Resonances Decaying to Top and Bottom Quarks with the CDF Experiment

Area of Science:

• Particle Physics
• High-Energy Physics
• Collider Physics

Background:

• The Standard Model of particle physics describes fundamental particles and forces.
• Searches for physics beyond the Standard Model are crucial for understanding the universe.
• Resonances decaying to top and bottom quarks are predicted by some extensions to the Standard Model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To search for evidence of charged massive resonances decaying into top (t) and bottom (b) quarks.
• To set limits on the production cross section and mass of potential new heavy charged particles.
• To constrain parameters within extensions of the Standard Model, such as a W' boson.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the full dataset from proton-antiproton collisions at √s=1.96 TeV.
• Utilized data collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron.
• Integrated luminosity of 9.5 fb⁻¹ was analyzed.
• Set 95% Bayesian credibility mass-dependent upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio to tb.

Main Results:

• No significant excess above the Standard Model background prediction was observed.
• Set mass-dependent upper limits on the production cross section for charged resonances decaying to tb.
• Constrained the mass and couplings of a benchmark W'→tb model in the 300–900 GeV/c² range.

Conclusions:

• The search yielded no evidence for new charged massive resonances decaying to top and bottom quarks.
• The study provides the most stringent upper limits for charged resonances in the 300–600 GeV/c² mass range decaying to tb.
• Results place important constraints on theories beyond the Standard Model involving W' bosons.