Impact of rare decays t → ℓ′νbℓℓ and t → qq ′ bℓℓ on searches for top-associated physics

Abstract

Abstract Searches for top quark-associated physics such as tt¯W $$ t\overline{t}W $$ or tt¯H $$ t\overline{t}H $$ in final states with multiple leptons require a careful accounting of expected backgrounds due to the lack of reconstructible resonances. We demonstrate that the rare top quark decays t → ℓ′νbℓℓ and t → qq ′ bℓℓ, when a soft lepton is not detected, can contribute a non-negligible background to such searches. Simulations in the LHC experiments typically do not account for such decays and as such backgrounds to such searches may be underestimated.

Keywords

• Hadron-Hadron scattering (experiments)
• Higgs physics
• Rare decay
• Top physics