Search for third-generation scalar leptoquarks in the t$\tau$ channel in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$

Abstract

A search for pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to top quark and $\tau$ lepton pairs is presented using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=8 TeV$ collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 $fb^{−1}$. The search is performed using events that contain an electron or a muon, a hadronically decaying τ lepton, and two or more jets. The observations are found to be consistent with the standard model predictions. Assuming that all leptoquarks decay to a top quark and a τ lepton, the existence of pair produced, charge −1/3, third-generation leptoquarks up to a mass of 685 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level. This result constitutes the first direct limit for leptoquarks decaying into a top quark and a $\tau$ lepton, and may also be applied directly to the pair production of bottom squarks decaying predominantly via the R-parity violating coupling $\lambda_{333}'$.