According to the Standard Model of particle physics, elementary particles interact via the exchange of mediator particles. The specific mediator particle depends on the force: gluons for the strong nuclear force, photons for the electromagnetic force, and W and Z bosons for the weak nuclear force. No quantum theory of gravity has been deemed adequate by the community at this time, and no gravity-mediating particle (graviton is the proposed name for such a particle) is included in the Standard Model. As gravity is much weaker than the other fundamental forces at the particle level, this does not currently pose practical difficulties for elementary particle physics. In order to specifically study W and Z bosons, it is necessary to generate high-energy beams of particles, which are collided, and whose collisions (hopefully) produce the 90 GeV required for Z boson production. Typically, electrons and protons are the particle of choice for these beams. In order to obtain the necessary energies, circular collider facilities have been the highest energy sites for years. As electrons radiate energy when in circular orbits, by the late 1980's proton colliders have been the primary choice for high-energy physics. One such collider, built at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, was the Tevatron, which started operations in 1984 and finally shut down in 2011. The Tevatron collided protons with anti-protons with a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV for ten years (2001-2011) after a series of upgrades known collectively as Run II. Of the two detectors at the Tevatron, this analysis considers events observed at the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) during Run II. Results can be usefully cross-checked by the other detector, D0. This thesis includes a technical description of the silicon tracking system at the CDF detector, including an account of challenges encountered during its operation and some of the personal work done to assist in its continuing operation. This analysis measures the frequency at which two bosons are created (specifically, a photon and a Z boson) in a particular decay channel (namely, the Z decays into two b quarks). This diboson production is frequently measured, but typically only in leptonic decays at hadron colliders, as there is less background in these channels. This analysis attempts to provide a useful confirmation on these experiments by analyzing the diboson production in an independent decay channel. As the event signature is also produced by strong force interactions, this electroweak signal composes a relatively small fraction of the events observed at CDF. In order to distinguish between the two, an artificial neural network was trained to separate the signal events from the primary background. While the result was measured to be consistent with the Standard Model prediction, large statistical and significant systematic errors limit the utility of this measurement.

The Higgs sector is the collection of fields and particles responsible for the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the electroweak symmetry. It is the keystone of the Standard Model of particle physics. While the Standard Model Higgs sector is in agreement with current experiments alternative models often arise to explain experimental anomalies, or to answer puzzles about the Higgs model itself. In this dissertation I explore two such alternative models of the Higgs sector. The first is a model of a composite Higgs boson that is designed to be "minimally fine-tuned." I demonstrate how it generates a light Higgs boson with one fine-tuned parameter. The most accessible expected phenomenological signatures of such a model are heavy resonances decaying into weak vector bosons. I compare the predicted behavior of these resonances to recent experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. The second is alternative model attempts to use multiple Higgs to explain a possible 30 GeV resonant excess in dimuon production arising from Z boson decays. I show that the simplest such model cannot explain the excess, and then argue that all such multiple-doublet models also fail.

This thesis presents a study of W±Z diboson production with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are made using 20.3fb⁻¹ of data collected during proton-proton collisions produced at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 8 TeV. Final states with three leptons and missing transverse energy are considered. The first study of the polarisation of the W boson in such events is presented. This study provides a cross-section independent method by which to study anomalous gauge boson couplings. The estimated sensitivity of this measurement to anomalous gauge boson couplings will therefore also be presented. Also discussed, are measurements of the W±Z production cross-section and limits on anomalous gauge boson couplings. Finally, a study is presented which assess the impact of extending the inner-detector tracker to |η| = 4.0. This was considered for the ATLAS upgrade program. The effect of such an extension was studied for multiple final states, including the W±Z inclusive and VBS analyses as well as the WWW triboson analysis.

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.

Le sujet principal de la thèse est sur la recherche de bosons de Higgs de grande massese désintégrant en 4 leptons grâce aux données du Run-2 obtenues par le détecteur ATLASauprès du Large Hadron Collider - LHC. L'analyse correspondante, publiée à la conférenceICHEP de 2016 avec un échantillon de données de 14.8 fb-1 à 13 TeV, est décrite en détail. Etelle a été remise à jour dans cette thèse avec un échantillon de données de 36.1 fb-1 à 13 TeV.Cette recherche de bosons de Higgs de grande masse se fait indépendamment du modèle pourplusieurs largeurs de masse du boson : approximation de largeur de masse étroite où on supposela largeur de masse naturelle du signal incluant un effet d'interférence avec le bruit de fond duModèle Standard. La recherche de signal qui bénéficie le plus de l'ajout de contraintediscriminante est aussi présentée pour l'hypothèse d'un signal de boson scalaire. Cettemodification permet d'améliorer la sensibilité de cette analyse de 25%.Cette thèse présente aussi une amélioration du spectromètre à muons d'Atlas venant du projet deNouvelle Petite Roue - NSW pour New Small Wheel en anglais. En particulier sont décrits lasimulation du bruit de fond de la caverne qui affectera les futurs détecteurs, ainsi que lapréparation et la mise en service des modules Micromegas qui seront produits au CEA-Saclaypour l'expérience Atlas. / The thesis is focused on the heavy Higgs boson search in four lepton decay channelwith Run-2 data from the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis publishedat ICHEP 2016 conference that is based on 14.8 fb-1 of 13 TeV data is described in details, whilethe updated results that include 36.1 fb-1 of 13 TeV data are shown as well. The heavy Higgssearch is carried out in a model independent way and it is covering different signal widthhypotheses: narrow width approximation that assumes the signal natural width to be negligiblecomparing to the detector resolution, and the large width assumption including an effect of theinterference with the Standard Model backgrounds. The search that benefits from additionalkinematic discriminant under the scalar signal assumption is presented as well. Thismodification allows to increase the analysis sensitivity up to 25%.The thesis also discusses an upgrade of the ATLAS Muons Spectrometer, namely the NewSmall Wheel project. In particular, simulation of the cavern background that will affect theupgraded detector and commissioning of the Micromegas modules produced at CEA-Saclay forthe New Small Wheel are described.

The search for a Higgs boson decaying to a b¯b pair is one of the key analyses ongoing at the ATLAS experiment. Despite being the largest branching ratio decay for a Standard Model Higgs boson, a large dataset is necessary to perform this analysis because of the very large backgrounds affecting the measurement. To discriminate the electroweak H → b¯b signal from the large QCD backgrounds, the associated production of the Higgs with a W or a Z boson decaying leptonically is used. Different techniques have been proposed to enhance the signal over background ratio in the VH(b¯b) channel, from dedicated kinematic cuts, to a single large radius jet to identify the two collimated b’s in the Higgs high transverse momentum regime, to multivariate techniques. The high-pT approach, using a large radius jet to identify the b’s coming from the Higgs decay, has been tested against an analysis based on kinematic cuts for a dataset of 4.7 fb−1 luminosity at √s = 7 TeV, and compatible results were found for the same transverse momentum range. Using a kinematic cut based approach the VH(b¯b) signal search has been performed for the full LHC Run 1 dataset: 4.7 fb−1 at √s = 7 TeV and 20.7 fb−1 at √s = 8 TeV. Several backgrounds to this analysis, such as Wb¯b have not been measured in data yet, and an accurate study of the theoretical description has been performed, comparing the predictions of various Monte Carlo generators at different orders. The complexity of the analysis requires a profile likelihood fit with several categories and almost 200 parameters, taking into account all the systematics coming from experimental or modelling limitations, to extract the result. To validate the fit model, a test of the ability to extract the signal is performed on the resonant V Z(b¯b) background. A 4.8σ excess compatible with the Standard Model rate expectation has been measured, with a best fit value μVZ = 0.93+0.22−0.21. The full LHC Run1 dataset result for the VH(b¯b) process is a limit of (1.3)1.4 x SM (expected) observed, with a best fit value of 0.2±0.5(stat)±0.4(sys) for a Higgs boson of 125 GeV mass.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Physics / Yurii Maravin / This dissertation describes a comprehensive study of the Zgamma [to] eegamma/mumugamma/nu[bar]nugamma process. The data have been collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p[bar]p collider with the center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, and correspond to up to 3.6 fb[superscript]-1 of integrated luminosity. Firstly, in this study we perform a measurement of the Zgamma production cross section. The measured cross sections in both llgamma (l = e or mu) and nu[bar]nugamma channels are the most precise cross sections measured at hadron colliders to date, and they agree within uncertainties with the theoretical calculations to the next-to-leading order. We claim the first observation of the Zgamma [to] nu[bar]nugamma process at hadron colliders at 5.1 standard deviations statistical significance. We also conduct a search for anomalous Zgamma processes. Such anomalous Zgamma processes, where a Z boson couples to a photon, result in an increased cross section and an enhancement of the production of high-energetic photons. Thus, an observation of this kind might possibly indicate the presence of new physics. Having found no excess of data over the SM expectations, we set the most restrictive 95% C.L. limits on the anomalous trilinear Zgammagamma and ZZgamma gauge couplings (ATGC) at hadron colliders to date: |h[subscript]30[superscript]gamma| < 0.033, |h[subscript]40[superscript]gamma| < 0.0017, |h[subscript]30[superscript]Z| < 0.033, and |h[subscript]40[superscript]Z| < 0.0017, which mark almost three times improvement over the most recent results published to date. Three out of four current limits improve on the LEP limits, and are the tightest limits on ATGC in the world. Finally, we performed a search for narrow vector and scalar resonances that decay to Zgamma. Many extensions of the SM predict such resonances, thus making this search a test of the gauge sector of the SM. We found no significant deviation of data from the SM predictions, and hence we set 95% C.L upper limits on the production cross section of the resonances.

In this dissertation, we present a study of WZ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data analyzed was collected by the ATLAS detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of \(4.6 fb^{−1}\) provided by the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. We select WZ events in the fully leptonic decay mode with electrons, muons, and missing transverse energy in the final state. Events are required to have three isolated leptons with significant transverse momentum, a large missing transverse energy, a Z candidate reconstructed from two of the selected leptons, and a W candidate reconstructed from the missing transverse energy and third lepton. The major backgrounds to the WZ signal in the leptonic decay channel are Z+jets events, ZZ production, Z+photon events, and events with top quarks. We estimate the Z+jets and top quark background contributions from data and take the expected contribution for the other background processes from simulation. We observe 317 WZ candidates in data, with a background expectation of \(68\pm10\) events. The total production cross section is extracted from the selected sample using a maximum likelihood method and is determined to be \(19.0^{+1.4}_{-1.3} (stat) \pm0.9 (syst) \pm0.4 (lumi) pb\), which is consistent with the next-to-leading Standard Model prediction of \(17.6^{+1.1}_{-1.0} pb\). WZ production in the Standard Model includes a contribution from the WWZ triple gauge boson vertex. If new physics beyond the Standard Model exists and interacts with W and Z bosons, the coupling of the WWZ vertex could differ from the Standard Model prediction. We set limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings using the transverse momentum spectrum of Z bosons in the selected sample. We derive the 95% confidence interval for three model-independent anomalous triple gauge couplings using a frequentist approach and set the most stringent bounds to date on two of the three parameters. / Physics

No description available.

Cette thèse présente le mesure des sections efficaces de production WW MS et la détermination des couplages triples (TGCs) correspondants en utilisant ces 4.7 ${rm fb}^{-1}$ de donnes 2011 de collision $pp$. Ces mesures permettent un test contraignant du secteur 'électrofaible non abélien $SU(2) times U(1)$ du Modèle Standard; donnent l'opportunité de sonder la nouvelle physique `a travers les couplages triples anormaux de bosons de jauge (aTGCs) qui seront observés dans la distribution des variables cinématiques des WW produits ou de leurs produits de désintégration finaux dans le secteur de haute 'énergie; et permettent d'avoir une bonne compréhension du bruit de fond irréductible dans la recherche du boson de Higgs dans le canal de d'esint'egration $H rightarrow W^{+}W^{-}$.Ce travail de th`ese donne un base solide pour les mesures `a venir de la production WW avec les $sim$25 ${rm fb}^{-1}$ de luminosité intègré de donnes a 8 TeV prévue pour la fin 2012, qui conduiront vers une amélioration de la précision et des limites plus strictes sur les aTGCs. / This thesis presents a measurement of the SM WW production cross section and the determination of the corresponding limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings (aTGCs), using the 2011 4.7 ${rm fb}^{-1}$ $pp$ collisions data at 7 TeV collected in 2011. The measurement allows for a stringent test of the non-Abelian $SU(2) times U(1)$ SM electroweak sector and probes new physics that could manifest itself through aTGCs that may alter the observed production cross section or kinematic distributions. This measurement also provides a good understanding of the irreducible background in searches for the Higgs boson through the $Hrightarrow W^{+}W^{-}$ decay channel.This thesis work has laid a solid foundation for further measurements of the WW production with the $sim$25 ${rm fb}^{-1}$ integrated luminosity 8 TeV recorded data expected by the end of 2012, which will further improve the precision and yield more stringent limits on the aTGCs.