Search for a Neutral Gauge Boson with Nonuniversal Fermion Couplings in Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV


Hayrapetyan A., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Andrejkovic J., Benato L., Bergauer T., ...More

Physical review letters, vol.135, no.6, pp.61803, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 135 Issue: 6
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1103/srvm-f1h3
  • Journal Name: Physical review letters
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC, zbMATH, DIALNET, Nature Index
  • Page Numbers: pp.61803
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The first search for a heavy neutral spin-1 gauge boson (Z^{'}) with nonuniversal fermion couplings produced via vector boson fusion processes and decaying to tau leptons or W bosons is presented. The analysis is performed using LHC data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV, collected from 2016 to 2018 with the CMS experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb^{-1}. The data are consistent with the standard model predictions. Upper limits are set on the product of the cross section for production of the Z^{'} boson and its branching fraction to ττ or WW. The presence of a Z^{'} boson decaying to τ^{+}τ^{-} (W^{+}W^{-}) is excluded for masses up to 2.45(1.60) TeV, depending on the Z^{'} boson coupling to standard model weak bosons, and assuming a Z^{'}→τ^{+}τ^{-} (W^{+}W^{-}) branching fraction of 50%.