Probing top-antitop resonances with $t\bar{t}$ scattering at LHC14

Abstract

We explore the sensitivity of the LHC at 14 TeV centre-of-mass energy (LHC14) to the single production and decay of top-antitop resonances in the four-top final state. We focus on the same-sign dilepton channel, and work within a simplified model with a vector boson coupling to the Standard Model only via its interactions with right-handed top quarks. We find it is possible to discover (exclude) such a vector boson with 300 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity up to a mass of 1.2 (1.6) TeV for a modest coupling to tops of $g_\rho$=2. We present our results as an exclusion limit on the cross-section$\times$branching ratio for ease of recasting, and interpret them in the context of the gauge-singlet vector boson $\rho_X$ present in many simple Composite Higgs theories.