No description available.

This thesis investigates the prospects of measuring anomalous triple gauge boson couplings in the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The most general(V ZZ, V = Z, g) vertex is parametrised by four couplings, fV = Z,gi=4,5 , all of which are zero in the Standard Model. Non-zero couplings would manifest themselves as an excess of events in ZZ diboson channels, and, if observed, would be a direct probe of new physics beyond the Standard Model. A set of criteria are outlined to select events recorded by ATLAS in two such channels, ZZ to llll(l = e, mu) and ZZ to llnunu. With 1 fb-1 of integrated luminosity at a centre of mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, ATLAS can expect to observe 10+/-1 events in the ZZ to llllchannel, with 0.5+0.9-0.2 background events. In the ZZ to llnunu channel, 6.2+/-0.7 signal events are expected, with a background of 1.9+2.0-0.2 events. The expected sensitivity of ATLAS to non-zero anomalous couplings is calculated by performing extended, unbinned maximum-likelihood fits to the Z boson transverse momentum spectrum. For 1 fb-1 of integrated luminosity at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, ATLAS has the potential to place constraints on the coupling parameters of |fZi | < 0.06 and |fig | < 0.07 at the 95% confidence level. These limits assume a form factor with a cutoff of Lambda_FF = 1.2 TeV. As a prelude to ZZ observation, criteria are defined to select Z to ll(l = e, mu) events in the first 315 nb-1 of ATLAS pp collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. In total 57 events are observed in the electron channel, with 109 in the muon channel, leading to cross-section measurements of sigma (Z to ee) = 0.70+/-0.09 (stat)+/-0.10 (syst)+/-0.08 (lumi) pband sigma(Z to mumu) = 0.90+/-0.09 (stat) +/-0.07 (syst) +/-0.10 (lumi) pb, both of which are consistent with the Standard Model predictions. In addition, this thesis presents a summary of developments made to the Data Acquisition (DAQ) system of the ATLAS Semiconductor Tracker (SCT). These include the construction of a test system, involving a scaled-down version of the entire SCT readout chain. The test system was subsequently used to develop a number of new DAQ features, including a hardware-based event simulator and monitoring framework.

No description available.

We present a measurement of ppbar->Zγ + X -> e⁺e^-γ + X production using proton-antiproton collision data collected at the Collider Detector at Fermilab at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. Zγ production provides a direct test of the triple neutral gauge couplings. A measurement of Zγ production cross section and search for anomalous ZZγ and Zγγ couplings are presented. The data presented are from 1.1 fb^-1 of ppbar integrated luminosity collected at the CDF Detector. Electrons from Z decays are selected with E_t > 20 GeV. Photons (E_t > 7 GeV) are required to be well-separated from the electrons. There are 390 eeγ candidate events found with 1.1 fb^-1 of data, compared to the SM prediction of 375.3 à ± 25.2 events. The Standard Model prediction for the cross section for ppbar-> e⁺e^-γ + X production at √s = 1.96 TeV is 4.5 à ± 0.4 pb. The measured cross section is 4.7 à ± 0.6 pb. The cross section and kinematic distributions of the eeγ events are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Limits on the ZZγ and Zγγ couplings are extracted using the photon E_t distribution of eeγ events with M_eeγ > 100 GeV/c². These are the first limits measured using CDF Run II data. These limits provide important test of the interaction of the photon and the Z boson. / Dissertation

No description available.

Die Auswirkungen von anomalen Kopplungen bei den Prozessen der W-Paar- und der ZZ-Erzeugung werden untersucht. Analytische Ausdruecke fuer die differentiellen Wirkungsquerschnitte werden fuer beide Prozesse abgeleitet und numerische Ergebnisse werden praesentiert. Die analytischen Ergebnisse zur W-Paarerzeugung wurden in das Fortranprogramm GENTLE eingebaut, waehrend die Ergebnisse zur ZZ-Erzeugung in einem separaten Program ZAC zur Verfuegung stehen. Die numerischen Resultate werden mit den Vorhersagen des Standardmodells verglichen. Bei der W-Paarerzeugung sind Strahlungskorrekturen durch den Strukturfunktionszugang im Rahmen der Anfangszustandsabstrahlung beruecksichtig worden. Die Auswirkungen eines anomalen magnetischen Momentes a_tau des tau-Leptons auf die Endzustandsabstrahlung im Prozess der tau-Paarproduktion bei LEP1 wurden untersucht. Dieser Prozess erlaubt die Bestimmung des experimentellen Limits fuer das anomale magnetische Moment a_tau. Als ein Ergebnis erhalten wir, dass Beitraege, die linear in a_tau sind und als klein angesehen wurden, bei den heutigen Limits nicht mehr vernachlaessigt werden koennen. / Predictions are made for the effects of anomalous couplings in the processes of W-pair and ZZ production. Analytical expressions for the differential cross-sections are derived in both cases and numerical results are presented. The analytical results for W-pair production were implemented into the Fortran program GENTLE, while the ZZ production results are available in the stand-alone program ZAC. The numerical results are compared with the Standard Model predictions. For W-pair production radiative corrections are considered by using the structure function approach for the description of initial state radiation. Effects of an anomalous magnetic moment a_tau of the tau-lepton to the final state radiation in the process of tau-pair production at LEP1 are examined. This process allows to determine experimental limits for the anomalous magnetic moment of the tau. As a result we find that contributions linear in a_tau, which were believed to be small, cannot be neglegted at the present limits.

Particle physics deals with the elementary constituents of our universe and their interactions. The electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism in the Standard Model of Particle Physics is of paramount importance and it plays a central role in the physics programmes of current high-energy physics experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. The study of scattering processes of massive electroweak gauge bosons provides an approach complementary to the precise measurement of the properties of the recently discovered Higgs boson. Owing to the unprecedented energies achieved in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider and the large amount of data collected, experimental studies of these processes become feasible for the first time. Especially the scattering of two W± bosons of identical electric charge is considered a promising process for an initial study due to its distinct experimental signature. In the course of this work, 20.3 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 8 TeV are analysed. An analysis of the production of two W± bosons of identical electric charge in association with two jets, pp → W ± W ± jj, is conducted in the leptonic decay channel of the W± bosons. Thereby, emphasis is put on the development of methods for the estimation of experimental backgrounds as well as on the optimisation of the event selection. As a result of this work, first experimental evidence for the existence of the aforementioned process is established with an observed significance of 4.9. Based on the number of observed events in the selected phase space the extracted fiducial cross section is σ(fid) = (2.3 ± 0.5(stat.) +0.4/−0.3 (sys.)) fb which is in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model of σ(fid,SM) = (1.6 ± 0.2) fb. Of particular theoretical interest are electroweak contributions to the pp → W ± W ± jj process due to their sensitivity to the nature of the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. Criteria for a dedicated event selection are investigated and implemented in the analysis with the goal of enhancing the sensitivity to these contributions. First experimental evidence for the presence of electroweak contributions to the pp → W ± W ± jj process can be claimed with an observed significance of 4.1. The cross section extracted in the selected phase space region is found to be σ(fid) = (1.7 +0.5/−0.4 (stat.) ± 0.3(sys.)) fb which is 1.3 standard deviations above the theoretical prediction of the Standard Model of σ(fid,SM) = (1.0 ± 0.1) fb. A variety of extensions to the Standard Model predict modifications to the electroweak gauge sector. In the context of the electroweak chiral Lagrangian, which serves as an effective approximation of these theories in the energy regime E = 1 − 3 TeV, anomalous contributions to the quartic WWWW gauge coupling can be described by the parameters α4 and α5 . The selection of events is optimised again to enhance the sensitivity to these two parameters. On the basis of the number of events observed in this phase space region, the following one-dimensional confidence intervals at the 95% confidence level are derived: −0.09 ≤ α4 ≤ 0.10 and −0.15 ≤ α5 ≤ 0.15. At present, these limits represent the most stringent constraints on contributions from new physics processes to the quartic WWWW gauge coupling.

Particle physics deals with the elementary constituents of our universe and their interactions. The electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism in the Standard Model of Particle Physics is of paramount importance and it plays a central role in the physics programmes of current high-energy physics experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. The study of scattering processes of massive electroweak gauge bosons provides an approach complementary to the precise measurement of the properties of the recently discovered Higgs boson. Owing to the unprecedented energies achieved in proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider and the large amount of data collected, experimental studies of these processes become feasible for the first time. Especially the scattering of two W± bosons of identical electric charge is considered a promising process for an initial study due to its distinct experimental signature. In the course of this work, 20.3 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 8 TeV are analysed. An analysis of the production of two W± bosons of identical electric charge in association with two jets, pp → W ± W ± jj, is conducted in the leptonic decay channel of the W± bosons. Thereby, emphasis is put on the development of methods for the estimation of experimental backgrounds as well as on the optimisation of the event selection. As a result of this work, first experimental evidence for the existence of the aforementioned process is established with an observed significance of 4.9. Based on the number of observed events in the selected phase space the extracted fiducial cross section is σ(fid) = (2.3 ± 0.5(stat.) +0.4/−0.3 (sys.)) fb which is in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model of σ(fid,SM) = (1.6 ± 0.2) fb. Of particular theoretical interest are electroweak contributions to the pp → W ± W ± jj process due to their sensitivity to the nature of the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism. Criteria for a dedicated event selection are investigated and implemented in the analysis with the goal of enhancing the sensitivity to these contributions. First experimental evidence for the presence of electroweak contributions to the pp → W ± W ± jj process can be claimed with an observed significance of 4.1. The cross section extracted in the selected phase space region is found to be σ(fid) = (1.7 +0.5/−0.4 (stat.) ± 0.3(sys.)) fb which is 1.3 standard deviations above the theoretical prediction of the Standard Model of σ(fid,SM) = (1.0 ± 0.1) fb. A variety of extensions to the Standard Model predict modifications to the electroweak gauge sector. In the context of the electroweak chiral Lagrangian, which serves as an effective approximation of these theories in the energy regime E = 1 − 3 TeV, anomalous contributions to the quartic WWWW gauge coupling can be described by the parameters α4 and α5 . The selection of events is optimised again to enhance the sensitivity to these two parameters. On the basis of the number of events observed in this phase space region, the following one-dimensional confidence intervals at the 95% confidence level are derived: −0.09 ≤ α4 ≤ 0.10 and −0.15 ≤ α5 ≤ 0.15. At present, these limits represent the most stringent constraints on contributions from new physics processes to the quartic WWWW gauge coupling.