Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Collision search'

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2009.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-95).
This thesis presents the Monte Carlo Real-Time Belief Space Search (MC-RTBSS) algorithm, a novel, online planning algorithm for partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs). MC-RTBSS combines a sample-based belief state representation with a branch and bound pruning method to search through the belief space for the optimal policy. The algorithm is applied to the problem of aircraft collision avoidance and its performance is compared to the Trac Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) in simulated encounter scenarios. The simulations are generated using an encounter model formulated as a dynamic Bayesian network that is based on radar feeds covering U.S. airspace. MC-RTBSS leverages statistical information from the airspace model to predict future intruder behavior and inform its maneuvers. Use of the POMDP formulation permits the inclusion of different sensor suites and aircraft dynamic models. The behavior of MC-RTBSS is demonstrated using encounters generated from an airspace model and comparing the results to TCAS simulation results. In the simulations, both MC-RTBSS and TCAS measure intruder range, bearing, and relative altitude with the same noise parameters. Increasing the penalty of a Near Mid-Air Collision (NMAC) in the MC-RTBSS reward function reduces the number of NMACs, although the algorithm is limited by the number of particles used for belief state projections. Increasing the number of particles and observations used during belief state projection increases performance.
(cont.) Increasing these parameter values also increases computation time, which needs to be mitigated using a more efficient implementation of MC-RTBSS to permit real-time use.
by Travis Benjamin Wolf.
S.M.

Dijet events are studied in the proton--proton collision dataset recorded at $\sqrt{s}=$13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 37 fb$^{-1}$. Invariant mass distributions are compared to background predictions and no significant deviation is observed. A new method for fitting the background component of the invariant mass distribution is employed. The dataset is used to set upper limits at a 95\% confidence level on a range of new physics scenarios. Excited quarks with masses below 6.0 TeV are excluded, and limits are set on quantum black holes, heavy W' bosons, W* bosons, and a range of masses and couplings in a Z' dark matter mediator model. These results represent a substantial improvement over those obtained previously with lower integrated luminosity.

A search for the Higgs boson produced with large transverse momentum and decaying as H -> bb is presented, using the 80 fb^{-1} from the dataset collected by the ATLAS detector at sqrt{s}=13 TeV. The Higgs boson is reconstructed as a large-R jet with two b-tagged variable radius track-jets. The work focuses on a peculiar event topology in which the Higgs is produced in association with another Large-R jet. Considering events with reconstructed pT above 480 GeV and with a reconstructed mass from 70-230 GeV, a signal significance of 1.6 sigma for the Higgs and of 5 sigma for the V (Z boson + W boson) is observed. Furthermore, the new Full Run2 analysis is presented, using 136 fb^{-1} from the dataset collected by the ATLAS detector at sqrt{s}=13 TeV. The strategy up to the computation of the expected sensitivity for the Higgs boson is presented in this thesis. The validation of the background modeling is described in details, including tests on data. A preliminary extraction of the Z boson signal is performed and the measured signal strength corresponds to muZ = 0.82 +/- 0.09.

A search for the Higgs boson produced with large transverse momentum and decaying as H -> bb is presented, using the 80 fb^{-1} from the dataset collected by the ATLAS detector at sqrt{s}=13 TeV. The Higgs boson is reconstructed as a large-R jet with two b-tagged variable radius track-jets. The work focuses on a peculiar event topology in which the Higgs is produced in association with another Large-R jet. Considering events with reconstructed pT above 480 GeV and with a reconstructed mass from 70-230 GeV, a signal significance of 1.6 sigma for the Higgs and of 5 sigma for the V (Z boson + W boson) is observed. Furthermore, the new Full Run2 analysis is presented, using 136 fb^{-1} from the dataset collected by the ATLAS detector at sqrt{s}=13 TeV. The strategy up to the computation of the expected sensitivity for the Higgs boson is presented in this thesis. The validation of the background modeling is described in details, including tests on data. A preliminary extraction of the Z boson signal is performed and the measured signal strength corresponds to muZ = 0.82 +/- 0.09.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2002.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xx, 143 p.; also contains graphics. Includes abstract and vita. Advisor: L. Stanley Durkin, Dept. of Physics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-143).

Les attaques cryptographiques que nous décrivons dans cette thèse reposent sur des approches combinatoires, relevant notamment de la théorie des graphes et de la satisfaction sous contraintes. Notre objectif principal concerne l'étude du problème du logarithme discret sur courbes elliptiques. Dans un premier temps, nous nous concentrons sur l'attaque de calcul d'index pour le cas des courbes elliptiques définies sur des extensions de corps finis de degré premier. Au cœur de l'attaque sur ces courbes réside la résolution des systèmes polynomiaux en caractéristique 2. Ainsi, la première phase du calcul d'index, phase de recherche de relations, consiste à résoudre des systèmes d'équations obtenus à partir de polynômes de Semaev, dont les zéros représentent des coordonnées de points. La résolution de ces systèmes répond au problème de décomposition de points. Dans le cadre de cette attaque, premièrement, nous modélisons le problème de décomposition de points sous la forme d'une formule logique et nous le définissons comme une instance du problème SAT. En ajout de cela, nous développons un solveur SAT dédié à ce problème spécifique, nommé WDSat. Le solveur est muni d'une extension qui vise à éliminer les solutions symétriques des polynômes de Semaev sans agrandir le modèle SAT et sans introduire de coût de calcul supplémentaire. Les temps d'exécution expérimentaux montrent que notre approche de résolution utilisant WDSat est significativement plus rapide que les méthodes algébriques actuelles basées sur le calcul de bases de Gröbner. De plus, notre solveur a des meilleures performances que d’autres solveurs SAT couramment utilisés, pour ce problème spécifique. Au final, nous abordons le problème du logarithme discret sur courbes elliptiques dans le cas générique. Notamment, pour la mise en oeuvre de l'attaque de recherche de collisions en contexte parallèle de van Oorschot et Wiener, nous proposons une nouvelle structure de données, ayant des conséquences importantes sur la complexité en mémoire et en temps
In this thesis, we explore the use of combinatorial techniques, such as graph-based algorithms and constraint satisfaction, in cryptanalysis. Our main focus is on the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem. First, we tackle this problem in the case of elliptic curves defined over prime-degree binary extension fields, using the index calculus attack. A crucial step of this attack is solving the point decomposition problem, which consists in finding zeros of Semaev’s summation polynomials and can be reduced to the problem of solving a multivariate Boolean polynomial system. To this end, we encode the point decomposition problem as a logical formula and define it as an instance of the SAT problem. Then, we propose an original XOR-reasoning SAT solver, named WDSat, dedicated to this specific problem. As Semaev’s polynomials are symmetric, we extend the WDSat solver by adding a novel symmetry breaking technique that, in contrast to other symmetry breaking techniques, is not applied to the modelization or the choice of a factor base, but to the solving process. Experimental running times show that our SAT-based solving approach is significantly faster than current algebraic methods based on Gröbner basis computation. In addition, our solver outperforms other state-of-the-art SAT solvers, for this specific problem. Finally, we study the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem in the general case. More specifically, we propose a new data structure for the Parallel Collision Search attack proposed by van Oorschot and Wiener, which has significant consequences on the memory and time complexity of this algorithm

Modeling molecular structures is critical for understanding the principles that govern the behavior of molecules and for facilitating the exploration of potential pharmaceutical drugs and nanoscale designs. Biological molecules are flexible bodies that can adopt many different shapes (or conformations) until they reach a stable molecular state that is usually described by the minimum internal energy. A major challenge in modeling flexible molecules is the exponential explosion in computational complexity as the molecular size increases and many degrees of freedom are considered to represent the molecules' flexibility. This research work proposes a novel generic computational geometric approach called enhanced BioGeoFilter (g.eBGF) that geometrically interprets inter-atomic interactions to impose geometric constraints during molecular conformational search to reduce the time for identifying chemically-feasible conformations. Two new methods called Kinematics-Based Differential Evolution (kDE) and Biological Differential Evolution (BioDE) are also introduced to direct the molecular conformational search towards low energy (stable) conformations. The proposed kDE method kinematically describes a molecule's deformation mechanism while it uses differential evolution to minimize the inta-molecular energy. On the other hand, the proposed BioDE utilizes our developed g.eBGF data structure as a surrogate approximation model to reduce the number of exact evaluations and to speed the molecular conformational search. This research work will be extremely useful in enabling the modeling of flexible molecules and in facilitating the exploration of nanoscale designs through the virtual assembly of molecules. Our research work can also be used in areas such as molecular docking, protein folding, and nanoscale computer-aided design where rapid collision detection scheme for highly deformable objects is essential.

This dissertation describes a search for charged Higgs bosons decaying to a tau and a neutrino (H⁺ → τ ⁺ ν_τ) or the charge-conjugate process) in association with a leptonically decaying top quark, using 36.1 fb^–1 of pp collision data collected with √s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector. The theoretical motivation, including a review of the Standard Model, is given, along with a description of the ATLAS detector and particle reconstruction. A multi-variate analysis approach uses stochastic gradient boosted decision trees to improve the separation between H^± signal and background. The semi-leptonic channel described in this thesis is used in combination with a fully hadronic channel to search for charged Higgs bosons in a mass range of 90 GeV ≤ m_H± 2000 GeV. Finding no significant excess, limits are set at the 95% confidence level on the charged Higgs production cross section times the branching fraction into τν ranging from 4.2 pb to 2.5 fb. These limits are interpreted in the hMSSM benchmark scenario as an exclusion at 95% confidence on tan β as a function of m_H±. In this scenario, for tan β = 60, the H^± mass range up to 1100 GeV is excluded, with all values of tan β exclude for m_H± ≤160 GeV

Many Beyond Standard Model theories predict particles that couple strongly to top/anti-top quark pairs. This makes tt(bar) a promising signature for new physics searches. The analysis presented in this dissertation uses 20.3 fb⁻¹ of √s = 8 TeV pp collision data from the ATLAS experiment to search for evidence of new physics in the single-lepton plus jets tt(bar) decay channel. This is done by requiring one electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum and additional hadronic jets. The tt(bar) system is reconstructed using techniques optimized for either resolved or boosted event topologies. The results of the analysis are used to set upper limits on the production cross-section times branching ratio for heavy resonances decaying to tt(bar). These limits are interpreted in the context of several benchmark models including the leptophobic topcolor Z', the Randall-Sundrum Kaluza-Klein gluon (gKK), the Randall-Sundrum Kaluza-Klein graviton (GKK) and a spin-0 scalar particle.

Supersymmetrie (SUSY) ist eine der am besten motivierten Erweiterungen des Standardmodells, und Suchen nach Hinweisen auf Supersymmetrie am LHC sind ein wichtiger Beitrag zum Verständnis von neuer Physik. Das Thema dieser Doktorarbeit ist die Analyse von zwei SUSY-Szenarien unter Verwendung von 20.3 fb−1 an ATLAS Daten, die bei einer Schwerpunktenergie von 8 TeV aufgezeichnet wurden. Den Hauptteil der Arbeit stellt eine Untersuchung des "Nicht-Universelle Higgs Massen Modells mit Gaugino Mediation" (NUHMG) mit Tau-Sneutrino als NLSP dar. Es wurde gezeigt, dass NUHMG unter Verwendung von Ereignissen ohne Leptonen, mit mehreren Jets, und fehlendem Transversalimpuls zu finden sein müsste. Eine neue Methode zur schnellen Optimierung unter Verwendung von multivariaten Methoden wurde entwickelt und in die Analyse eingebracht. Da kein signikanter Überschuss an Ereignissen in den untersuchten Daten beobachtet wurde, wurden experimentell ausgeschlossene Parameterbereiche des NUHMG-Modells bestimmt (bei einem Konfidenzniveau von 95 Prozent). Hierbei wurden Squark und Gluino Massen unterhalb von 1250 GeV bzw. 1400 GeV ausgeschlossen. Das zweite SUSY-Modell, das in dieser Doktorarbeit untersucht wird, ist das Nicht-Universelle Higgs Massen Modell (NUHM) mit Neutralino als LSP, welches innerhalb der Theorie der “Radiatively Driven Natural SUSY” (RNS) motiviert ist. Eine Datenanalyse mit einer statistischen Kombination von Ereignissen mit 2 bis 4 Leptonen wurde durchgeführt. Da kein signikanter Überschuss von Ereignissen beobachtet wurde, wurden ausgeschlossene Parameterbereiche des RNS-NUHM Modells bestimmt. Der größte Beitrag kommt hierbei von der Analyse mit 3 Leptonen, und es werden Werte von m1/2
Supersymmetry (SUSY) is one of the best motivated extensions of the Standard Model. The subject of this thesis is the analysis of two SUSY scenarios using 20.3 fb-1 of ATLAS data at 8 TeV center of mass energy. The main topic is a study of the Non-Universal Higgs Masses model with Gaugino mediation and Tau-Sneutrino NLSP (NUHMG). A study showed that NUHMG can be found using Squark and Gluino production, using final states with zero leptons of transverse momenta higher than 10 GeV, multiple jets and missing transverse energy. A new method for fast optimisation using multivariate techniques was developed for the analysis with 2-6 jets and missing transverse momentum. No significant excess of data has been seen, and 95 percent CL exclusion limits have been set on the model, where Squark and Gluino masses are excluded up to 1250 and 1400 GeV respectively. Second SUSY model studied, is the Non-universal Higgs Masses model with Neutralino LSP (NUHM). It is well motivated in the framework of Radiatively Driven Natural Supersymmetry (RNS). A data analysis using a statistical combination of 2, 3 and 4 leptons has been performed. No significant excess of data has been observed, and 95 percent CL exclusion limits have been set. They reach up to 300 GeV in m1/2, and extend up to the highest tested value of μ = 500 GeV. In addition to physics analyses, a program developed for online monitoring of the ATLAS trigger, called Trigger Presenter (TriP), is described in this thesis.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Nas últimas décadas, o problema de escalonamento da produção em oficina de máquinas, na literatura referido como JSSP (do inglês Job Shop Scheduling Problem), tem recebido grande destaque por parte de pesquisadores do mundo inteiro. Uma das razões que justificam tamanho interesse está em sua alta complexidade. O JSSP é um problema de análise combinatória classificado como NP-Difícil e, apesar de existir uma grande variedade de métodos e heurísticas que são capazes de resolvê-lo, ainda não existe hoje nenhum método ou heurística capaz de encontrar soluções ótimas para todos os problemas testes apresentados na literatura. A outra razão basea-se no fato de que esse problema encontra-se presente no diaa- dia das indústrias de transformação de vários segmento e, uma vez que a otimização do escalonamento pode gerar uma redução significativa no tempo de produção e, consequentemente, um melhor aproveitamento dos recursos de produção, ele pode gerar um forte impacto no lucro dessas indústrias, principalmente nos casos em que o setor de produção é responsável por grande parte dos seus custos totais. Entre as heurísticas que podem ser aplicadas à solução deste problema, o Busca Tabu e o Multidão de Partículas apresentam uma boa performance para a maioria dos problemas testes encontrados na literatura. Geralmente, a heurística Busca Tabu apresenta uma boa e rápida convergência para pontos ótimos ou subótimos, contudo esta convergência é frequentemente interrompida por processos cíclicos e a performance do método depende fortemente da solução inicial e do ajuste de seus parâmetros. A heurística Multidão de Partículas tende a convergir para pontos ótimos, ao custo de um grande esforço computacional, sendo que sua performance também apresenta uma grande sensibilidade ao ajuste de seus parâmetros. Como as diferentes heurísticas aplicadas ao problema apresentam pontos positivos e negativos, atualmente alguns pesquisadores começam a concentrar seus esforços na hibridização das heurísticas existentes no intuito de gerar novas heurísticas híbridas que reúnam as qualidades de suas heurísticas de base, buscando desta forma diminuir ou mesmo eliminar seus aspectos negativos. Neste trabalho, em um primeiro momento, são apresentados três modelos de hibridização baseados no esquema geral das Heurísticas de Busca Local, os quais são testados com as heurísticas Busca Tabu e Multidão de Partículas. Posteriormente é apresentada uma adaptação do método Colisão de Partículas, originalmente desenvolvido para problemas contínuos, onde o método Busca Tabu é utilizado como operador de exploração local e operadores de mutação são utilizados para perturbação da solução. Como resultado, este trabalho mostra que, no caso dos modelos híbridos, a natureza complementar e diferente dos métodos Busca Tabu e Multidão de Partículas, na forma como são aqui apresentados, da origem à algoritmos robustos capazes de gerar solução ótimas ou muito boas e muito menos sensíveis ao ajuste dos parâmetros de cada um dos métodos de origem. No caso do método Colisão de Partículas, o novo algorítimo é capaz de atenuar a sensibilidade ao ajuste dos parâmetros e de evitar os processos cíclicos do método Busca Tabu, produzindo assim melhores resultados.
In recent decades, the Job Shop Scheduling Ploblem (JSSP) has received great attention of researchers worldwide. One of the reasons for such interest is its high complexity. The JSSP is a combinatorial optimization problem classified as NP-Hard and, although there is a variety of methods and heuristics that are able to solve it, even today no method or heuristic is able to find optimal solutions for all benchmarcks presented in the literature. The other reason builds on noted fact that this problem is present in day-to-day of industries of various segments and, since the optimal scheduling may cause a significant reduction in production time and thus a better utilization of manufacturing resources, it can generate a strong impact on the gain of these industries, especially in cases where the production sector is responsible for most of their total costs. Among the heuristics that can be applied to the solution of this problem, the Tabu Search and the Particle Swarm Optimization show good performance for most benchmarcks found in the literature. Usually, the Taboo Search heuristic presents a good and fast convergence to the optimal or sub-optimal points, but this convergence is frequently interrupted by cyclical processes, offset, the Particle Swarm Optimization heuristic tends towards a convergence by means of a lot of computational time, and the performance of both heuristics strongly depends on the adjusting of its parameters. This thesis presents four different hybridization models to solve the classical Job Shop Scheduling Problem, three of which based on the general schema of Local Search Heuristics and the fourth based on the method Particle Collision. These models are analyzed with these two heuristics, Taboo Search and Particle Swarm Optimization, and the elements of this heuristics, showing what aspects must be considered in order to achieve a best solution of the one obtained by the original heuristics in a considerable computational time. As results this thesis demonstrates that the four models are able to improve the robustness of the original heuristics and the results found by Taboo Search.

Diese Arbeit beschreibt die Suche nach dem Higgs Boson, welches in vielen theoretischen Modellen der Teilchenphysik vorhergesagt wird. Das Higgs Boson ist die Konsequenz der spontanen Symmetriebrechung, welche den Teilchen Masse verleiht. Zur Suche werden e+e- Annihilationen bei Schwerpunktenergien bis 209 GeV analysiert, welche vom Experiment L3 am Speicherring LEP in den Jahren 1998 bis 2000 registriert wurden. Die Suche erfolgte in allen relevanten Endzustaenden, wobei der Endzustand mit vier hadronischen Jets im Detail behandelt wird. Die Daten werden mit den Erwartungen eines Signals in verschiedenen Modellen bei Beruecksichtigung der bekannten Untergrundprozesse verglichen oder es wird modellunabhaengig nach der Erzeugung skalarer Teilchen gesucht. Die Produktion von Higgs Bosonen konnte nicht nachgewiesen werde. Die Daten wurden daher benutzt, um neue Grenzen fuer Parameter der Modelle oder der Kopplungen zu setzen. Als erstes wird die Suche nach dem Higgs Boson im Standard Modell der elektroschwachen Wechselwirkung beschrieben. Die Produktion des Higgs Bosons wird bei LEP Energien ueber die Higgs-Strahlung und der Zerfall des Higgs Bosons in ein Paar von b-Quarks vorhergesagt. Die Analysen beruhen daher wesentlich auf der Erkennung von B-Hadronen. Der HZ->qqqq Endzustand wird im Detail untersucht, und die Ergebnisse werden mit den anderen Kanaelen : HZ->qqvv, HZ->qql+l- und HZ->tau+tau- qq kombiniert. Die untere Massengrenze fuer das Higgs Boson wird zu mH > 112.0 GeV auf 95% Vertrauensniveau, bestimmt. Ausserdem werden Grenzen auf die HZZ Kopplung abgeleitet. Im minimalen supersymmetrischen Modell (MSSM) werden fuenf Higgs Bosonen vorhergesagt. Zur Higgs-Strahlung kommt die Paarproduktion von Higgs Bosonen, e+e- -> hA , hinzu. Die Ergebnisse der Suche im Standard Modell werden durch die Suche in den Endzustaenden bb tau+tau- (tau+tau- bb), bbbb und hZ->AAqq ergaenzt. Im Rahmen von drei Standard-Szenarien, benannt als "mh-max", "no mixing" und "large-mu" werden untere Grenzen auf die Higgs Boson Massen von mh > 84.5 GeV und mA > 86.3 GeV fuer tan(beta) > 0.7 abgeleitet. Weiterhin werden im "mh-max" Szenario 0.55 < tan(beta) < 2.2, im "no mixing" Szenario 0.4 < tan(beta) < 4.9, und im "large-mu" Szenario 0.7 < tan(beta) < 6.2 ausgeschlossen. Eine modellunabhaengige Suche nach dem Prozess e+e- -> hZ wird fuer den vier-Jet Endzustand durchgefuehrt. In Kombination mit den Ergebnissen von den anderen Kanaelen werden Grenzen fuer die hZZ Kopplung bestimmt. Wird die hZZ Kopplung auf den Wert im Standard Modell gesetzt und der Zerfall des Higgs Bosons zu 100% in Hadronen angenommen, ergibt sich als Grenze der Higgs Boson Masse, mh > 97 GeV. Modellunabhaengige obere Grenzen fuer die hAZ Kopplung werden aus der Suche nach der Paarerzeugung von Higgs Bosonen in den Kanaelen hA->qqqq und hA->qq tau+tau- in Abhaengigkeit von den Higgs Boson Massen abgeleitet. Die Resultate aus der Kombination aller LEP Experimente werden fuer die oben genannten Analysen vorgestellt. Die Perspektiven der Higgs Boson Suche an den TEVATRON und LHC Speicherringen werden diskutiert und die Higgs Boson Physik an kuenftigen e+e- Linearbeschleunigern behandelt. Ein Linearbeschleuniger wie TESLA waere ideal fuer Untersuchungen eines leichten Higgs Bosons. Fuer ein Higgs Boson mit einer Masse zwischen 120 und 180 GeV kann mH mit einer Praezision von 40 bis 70 MeV bestimmt werden. Im gleichen Massenbereich ist die Messung des Wirkungsquerschnitts, weitgehend modellunabhaengig, mit einem relativen Fehler von 2.6 bis 3.8% moeglich. In vier-Fermion und sechs-Fermion Endzustaenden werden topologische Wirkungsquerschnitte, definiert als Produkt des totalen Wirkungsquerschnitts fuer e+e- -> HZ mit dem Verzweigungsverhaeltnis eines Zerfallskanals, untersucht. Fuer den Messfehler werden 1.1% fuer HZ->bbqq und 13% fuer HZ->W+W-l+l- bei mH = 120 GeV abgeschaetzt. Die Gesamtheit dieser und weiterer Messungen erlaubt eine genaue Bestimmung des Higgs Boson Profils und gibt Aufschluss ueber die Struktur des Higgs Sektors in der Natur.
This thesis is devoted to the search for neutral Higgs bosons predicted by various theoretical models. The Higgs boson arises as a result of spontaneous breaking of SU(2) symmetry leading to the generation of masses of fermions and weak bosons. The search is done in all experimentally related channels using the data collected at center-of-mass energies up to 209 GeV in the years 1998-2000 with the L3 detector at the Large Electron Positron collider, LEP. Here the study of the final states characterised by four jets is described in detail. For other final states the analyses are briefly reviewed and the results are reported. The data are compared with the expectation from the Standard Model background processes and with various signal hypotheses. A model independent search for neutral Higgs bosons is also performed. No evidence for the production of Higgs bosons is found. New mass limits are determined superseding previous mass limits established by L3 and other experiments. First I describe the analysis searching for the Standard Model Higgs Boson. Its production at LEP is expected mainly via the Higgs-strahlung process. In the mass range accessible at LEP the Standard Model Higgs Boson is predicted to decay dominantly into a pair of b and anti-b quarks, hence the dedicated analyses are optimised for the H->bb decay mode. The four-jet signal topology is investigated and then combined with the other search channels leading to a lower mass limit of mH > 112.0 GeV at 95% C.L.. The results of the search are also interpreted in terms of limits on the HZZ coupling. In the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) the Higgs sector is extended to five physical states. The Higgs-strahlung process is complemented by the mechanism of the Higgs boson pair production e+e- -> hA. Therefore, for the interpretation of the results in the framework of the MSSM the Standard Model analyses are combined with the hA -> bb tau+tau-, hA -> bbbb and hZ->AAqq channels. Three benchmark MSSM scenarios denoted "mh-max", "no mixing" and "large-mu" are considered. Using L3 data the lower bounds on the Higgs boson masses mh > 84.5 GeV mA > 86.3 GeV are derived at 95% C.L. for tan(beta) > 0.7. For the "mh-max", "no mixing" and "large-mu" scenarios, ranges 0.55 < tan(beta) < 2.2, 0.4 < tan(beta) < 4.9 and 0.7 < tan(beta) < 6.2, respectively, are ruled out. A model independent search for the Higgs-strahlung process with subsequent decay of h into hadrons is carried out in the four-jet channel. The results of the analysis are then combined with the other channels. A limit on the hZZ coupling as a function of the Higgs boson mass is derived. The results of L3 combined search establish a 95% C.L. lower mass limit, mh > 97 GeV, for a hadronically decaying Higgs boson assuming the cross section of the Higgs-strahlung process to be equal to the value predicted by the Standard Model and the branching fraction of the Higgs boson into hadrons equal to 100%. Analyses are developed to search exclusively for the hA -> bbbb, hA -> qqqq, hA -> bb tau+tau- and hA -> qq tau+tau- final states. Results of these analyses are translated into a 95% C.L. upper limit on the hAZ coupling as a function of Higgs boson masses. Searches for neutral Higgs bosons carried out by the L3 collaboration are combined with searches performed in other LEP experiments. The results of this combination are reported. The perspectives of Higgs boson searches at TEVATRON and LHC are briefly reviewed. The prospects of Higgs physics at a future linear e+e- collider are discussed. The potential of the TESLA detector foreseen at the TESLA linear collider for the determination of Higgs boson properties is studied. The Higgs boson masses 120, 150 and 180 GeV are considered. It is shown that a precision of 40 - 70 MeV in the measurement of the Higgs boson mass can be achieved. A model independent method to measure the e+e- -> HZ cross section is proposed. The method is based on the study of the inclusive HZ -> X e+e- and X mu+mu- channels. The relative error in the determination of the cross section varies between 2.6% and 3.8% for Higgs boson mass ranging from 120 GeV to 180 GeV. For the four-fermion and six-fermion final states arising from the Higgs-strahlung process the accuracy of the measurement of a topological cross section, defined as the product of the Higgs-strahlung cross section and the branching fraction of the specific final state, is investigated. The relative uncertainty of this measurement varies from 1.1% and 13%, depending on final state and Higgs boson mass. These and other measurements will allow to determine the profile of the Higgs boson and give insight into the structure of the Higgs sector in nature.

Diese Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit der Suche nach dem skalaren Top Quark (stop) und dem skalaren Bottom Quark (sbottom) innerhalb des Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) unter der Annahme der R-Paritätserhaltung. Suchen nach den folgenden Zerfallsmoden des Stop-Quark wurden durchgeführt: stop -> c neutralino_1, stop -> b l sneutrino (wobei l mit gleichen Wahrscheinlichkeiten entweder electron, muon oder tau-lepton ist) und stop -> b tau sneutrino (nur das Tau-Lepton wird berücksichtigt). Zusätzlich wurde der Dreikörperzerfall stop -> b W neutralino_1 im erlaubten Massenbereich M_stop > M_b + M_W + M_neutralino1 >= 86 GeV gesucht. Für das Sbottom-Quark wurde der Zerfall sbottom -> b neutralino_1 studiert. Jede dieser Zerfallsmoden wurde voneinander unabhängig unter der Annahme eines 100 %-igen Verzweigungsverhältnisses untersucht. Für diese Suche wurden Daten aus electron-positron-Kollisionen bei Schwerpunktsenergien im Bereich von 202-208 GeV benutzt. Die Daten wurden im Jahr 2000 von dem L3 Detektor am Large Electron Positron Collider (LEP) am CERN aufgenommen. Ferner wurden die Resultate der Datenanalyse aus dem Jahr 2000 mit Resultaten der Squark-Suche kombiniert, die die L3 Kollaboration in vorhergehenden Jahren bei Schwerpunktsenergien von 161 bis 202 GeV durchgeführt hat. Die untersuchten Squark Zerfallskanäle bestimmen die Topologie der für uns interessanten Ereignisse: 2 Jets (oder b-Jets) + fehlende Energie (+ 2 Leptonen für die Stop-Dreikörperzerfälle). Die stop -> b W neutralino_1 Zerfallstopologie hängt signifikant von den weiteren Zerfällen des W-Bosons ab und kann bis zu 6 Jets im Endzustand haben. Die Annahme der R-Paritätserhaltung impliziert die Stabilität des leichtesten supersymmetrischen Teilchens (des LSP), das das leichteste Neutralino ist. Das LSP wechselwirkt nur schwach und entweicht deswegen unentdeckt. Ein besonderes Merkmal der Signal-Ereignisse ist somit eine erhebliche Menge fehlender Energie. Die sichtbare Energie ist in etwa proportional zu der Massendifferenz zwischen dem Squark und dem LSP. Weil die Standardmodell-Untergrundzusammensetzung vom Anteil der sichtbaren Energie abhängt, hängt die Analyse auch vom Wert von der Massendifferenz ab. Abhängig von der Menge fehlender Energie kann der Standardmodell-Untergrund in drei Kategorien eingeteilt werden: - die zwei-Fermion-Prozesse sind e e -> e e, e e -> mu mu, e e -> tau tau und e e -> e e q q; - die vier-Fermion-Kategorie besteht aus e e -> W W, e e -> W e nu, e e -> Z Z und e e -> Z e e Prozessen; - die zwei-Photon-Untergrundprozesse sind e e -> e e e e, e e -> e e mu mu, e e -> e e tau tau und e e -> e e q q. Der letzte Prozess, e e -> e e q q, trägt den grössten Anteil zu den SM-Untergrundprozessen bei (wegen sehr hohem und stark schwankendem E_miss und dem grössten Wirkungsquerschnitt). Im ersten Schritt der Analyse wurden Events mit der gewünschten Topologie (2 Jets und hohes E_miss) vorselektiert. Die Selektion von Stop- und Sbottom-Ereignissen wurde durch die Minimierung der mit 95 % Confidence Level (C.L.) erwarteten oberen Grenze des Squark-Wirkungsquerschnitts - berechnet aus MC-Vorhersagen - optimiert, wobei der kleine theoretisch vorhergesagte Produktionswirkungsquerschnitt des Squarks berücksichtigt wurde. In allen für den jeweiligen Squark Zerfallskanal optimierten Selektionen stimmt die Anzahl von Daten Events mit der erwarteten Anzahl von Standardmodellprozessen überein: - für den stop -> c neutralino_1 Zerfall wurden 29 Daten-Events beobachtet, wobei 26.5 +- 2.7 Events von den SM-Prozessen erwartet wurden; - für den Dreikörperzerfall stop -> b l sneutrino, wurden 4 Daten-Events selektiert bei einer Standardmodell-Erwartung von 4.0 +- 1.0 Events; - für den Zerfall stop -> b tau sneutrino sind die Daten- und SM-Eventzahlen 5 bzw. 3.9 +- 1.0; - in der Selektion für stop -> b W neutralino_1, wurden 184 Daten Events beobachtet und 181.6 +- 3.0 Events wurden vom Standardmodell vorhergesagt; - für den Bottom Squark Zerfall sbottom -> b neutralino_1 entsprachen die beobachteten 6 Events der SM-Erwartung von 7.7 +- 1.3 Events. Es wurden keine MSSM-Skalar-Quarks in den Daten des Experiments beobachtet und das Resultat der Suche ist negativ. Die modellunabhängige 95 % C.L. obere Grenze für den Squark-Produktionswirkungsquerschnitt wurde aus der gemessenen Anzahl von Daten-Events und der aus dem Standardmodell erwarteten Eventanzahl berechnet. Für die Berechnung der oberen Grenzen der Produktionswirkungsquerschnitte wurden die Resultate der Squark-Suchen aus den L3-Daten bei Schwerpunktsenergien von c.m.s. Energie 202 - 208 GeV mit den Resultaten aus vorherigen Suchen der L3-Kollaboration bei 161 GeV - 202 GeV kombiniert. Eine neue Methode wurde entwickelt, um die kombinierten Grenzen zu berechnen. Die Methode berücksichtigt die statistische Unabhängigkeit jeder Messung und die Abhängigkeit des Squark-Produktionswirkungsquerschnittes von der Schwerpunktsenergie. In der Berechnung wurde den systematischen Unsicherheiten in der Standardmodell-Untergrundabschätzung und der Signal-Selektionseffizienz Rechnung getragen. Für die hier betrachteten Squark-Zerfälle werden typisch folgende oberen Grenzen mit 95 % C.L. für den Squark Produktionswirkungsquerschnitt erhalten: ~ 0.05-0.2 pb (für stop) und ~ 0.05-0.1 pb (für sbottom). Bei den Suchen nach dem Stop-Dreikörperzerfall stop -> b W neutralino_1 wurden die Produktionswirkungsquerschnitte über 0.7-1.0 pb mit 95 % C.L. ausgeschlossen. Innerhalb des Minimal Supersymmetrischen Standard Modells mit R-Paritätserhaltung wurden die unabhängigen Wirkungsquerschnittsgrenzen für den Ausschluss von MSSM Parametern benutzt, insbesondere für die Stop- und Sbottom-Massen. Die Squark-Massen wurden für jeden betrachteten Zerfallskanal in zwei möglichen Szenarien ausgeschlossen: für den maximalen und den (näherungsweise) minimalen theoretischen Wirkungsquerschnitt. Der erste Fall korrespondiert zur maximalen Mischung zwischen den links- und rechtshändigen Squark-Eigenzuständen, $\cos\theta_{LR}$ = 1; der zweite Fall ist definiert durch den Wert von $\cos\theta_{LR}$, bei dem die Squarks vom $Z^0$ Boson entkoppeln. Abhängig vom Wert $\Delta M$ wurden die Squark Massen mit 95 % C.L. bis zu den folgenden Werten ausgeschlossen: - für stop -> c neutralino_1: M_stop < 90-93 GeV (min. Wirkungsquerschnitt), M_stop < 95-96 GeV (max. Wirkungsquerschnitt), - für stop -> b l sneutrino: M_stop < 87-89 GeV (min. Wirkungsquerschnitt), M_stop < 90-91 GeV (max. Wirkungsquerschnitt), - für stop -> b tau sneutrino: M_stop < 83-88 GeV (min. Wirkungsquerschnitt), M_stop < 88-91 GeV (max. Wirkungsquerschnitt), - für sbottom -> b neutralino_1: M_stop < 76-83 GeV (min. Wirkungsquerschnitt), M_stop < 94-97 GeV (max. Wirkungsquerschnitt), In beiden Fällen werden die experimentell beobachteten 95 % C.L. Massen Ausschlussgrenzen mit den aus Monte Carlo Simulationen ohne SUSY Teilchen erwarteten verglichen. Die experimentallen Ausschlussgrenzen Sind verträglich mit den erwarteten. Die mit 95 % C.L. erhaltene obere Grenze für den Stop-Produktionquerschnitt ist im Zerfall stop -> b W neutralino_1 grösser als die zugehörige theoretische Vorhersage. Der Ausschluss mit 95 % C.L. auf Massen war mit dem zur Verfügung stehenden Datensatz aus diesen Grund nicht möglich. Unter der Annahme, dass die Zerfallstopologie der skalaren Quarks der ersten zwei Generationen ähnlich dem Zweikörperzerfall des Stop ist, wurden die Resultate der Suche nach dem Zerfall stop -> c neutralino_1 auch für die Berechnung der Massenausschlussgrenzen für die Squarks der ersten beiden Familien benutzt. Zwei Möglichkeiten wurden hier in Erwägung gezogen: die Massenentartung zwischen vier (scalar u, d, c, s) und fünf (sbottom zusätzlich) Squarks. Die Ausschlussgrenzen mit 95 % C.L. auf die massenentarteten skalaren Quarks in den Fällen der "nur-rechts" oder "links-und-rechts" Eigenzustände sind die folgenden: - für die Massenentartung zwischen vier Squarks: M_squark < 95-96 GeV ("nur-rechts"), M_squark < 99-100 GeV ("links-und-rechts"); - für die Massenentartung zwischen fünf Squarks: M_squark < 96-97 GeV ("nur-rechts"), M_squark < 99-101 GeV ("links-und-rechts"); Mit der Annahme der Gaugino-Vereinigung an der GUT-Skala im MSSM wurden die Grenzen für die vierfach massenentarteten Squarks erneut in der Squark-Gluino Ebene interpretiert. Ferner wurde das absolute Limit auf den MSSM-Parameter M_2, der für tan(beta) = 4 aus anderen L3-SUSY-Suchen (für Chargino, Neutralino und skalare Leptonen) ermittelt worden ist, in ein Gluino-Massenlimit übersetzt. Die mit 95 % C.L. erhaltenen Ausschlussgrenzen in der Squark-Gluino Massenebene sind - M_gluino > 267-314 GeV, - M_squark > 99-100 GeV.
This thesis is devoted to searches for the scalar top and the scalar bottom quarks within the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with the assumption of R-parity conservation. Searches for the following decay modes of the stop quark have been performed: stop -> c neutralino_1, stop -> b l sneutrino, (where l is either electron, muon or tau-lepton with equal probabilities) and stop -> b tau sneutrino (where only the tau-lepton is considered). In addition, a three body decay stop -> b W neutralino_1 has been searched for in the allowed mass region of M_stop > M_b + M_W + M_neutralino1 >= 86 GeV. For the sbottom quark the decay sbottom -> b neutralino_1 was considered. Each of these decay modes was considered independently assuming a branching ratio of 100 %. For this search, the experimental data of electron-positron collisions at center-of-mass energies (c.m.s.) in the range of 202-208 GeV have been used. These data were collected in the year 2000 by the L3 detector at the Large Electron Positron Collider (LEP) at CERN. The results of the year 2000 data analysis were also combined with results of the squark searches performed by the L3 Collaboration in previous years at center-of-mass energies from 161 up to 202 GeV. The analyzed squark decay channels determine the topology of the events of our interest: 2 jets (or b-jets) + missing energy (+ 2 leptons for stop three body decays). The stop -> b W neutralino_1 decay topology depends significantly on the further decay of the W boson and can have up to 6 jets in the final state. The assumed conservation of R-parity implies stability of the lightest supersymmetric particle (the LSP), which is the lightest neutralino. The LSP interacts only weakly and thus escapes undetected. This leads to a large missing energy as a feature of the signal events. The visible energy is roughly proportional to the difference between the masses of the squark and the LSP, and since the Standard Model background composition depends on the visible energy fraction, the whole analysis depends also on the value of this mass difference. Depending on the magnitude of visible energy, the Standard Model background can be grouped into three categories: - the two-fermion processes are e e -> e e, e e -> mu mu, e e -> tau tau and e e -> q q; - the four-fermion category is composed of e e -> W W, e e -> W e nu, e e -> Z Z and e e -> Z e e processes; - the two-photon background processes are e e -> e e e e, e e -> e e mu mu, e e -> e e tau tau and e e -> e e q q. The last process, e e -> e e q q, constitutes the largest fraction of all SM background processes (due to very high and highly fluctuating missing energy and the highest cross section). At the very first step of the analysis, only the events of interesting topology (with 2 jets and high missing energy) were preselected. Then, taking into account the small value of the theoretically predicted production cross section of the scalar quarks, the selection of stop and sbottom events was optimized by minimization of the 95 % confidence level expected upper limit on the squark cross section using calculated Monte Carlo events. In all selections optimized for each particular squark decay channel, the number of selected data events statistically agrees with the number of events expected from the Standard Model processes: - for stop -> c neutralino_1 decay, 29 data evens were observed, while 26.5 +- 2.7 were expected from the SM processes; - for the three body decay stop -> b l sneutrino, 4 data events were selected and the expectation from the Standard Model is 4.0 +- 1.0 events; - for the decay stop -> b tau sneutrino, the data and SM event numbers are 5 and 3.9 +- 1.0, respectively; - in the selection for stop -> b W neutralino_1, 184 data events were observed and 181.6 +- 3.0 were expected from the Standard Model; - for the bottom squark decay sbottom -> b neutralino_1 the observed 6 events correspond to the SM expectation of 7.7 +- 1.3. Thus, the MSSM scalar quarks were not observed in the experimental data and the search results are negative. The model independent 95 % C.L. upper limits on the squark production cross section have been derived from the numbers of the observed data events and numbers of events expected from the Standard Model. For calculation of the upper cross section limits, the results of the squark searches performed in the L3 data of c.m.s. energy 202 - 208 GeV were combined with results of searches performed by the L3 Collaboration previously in the data of c.m.s. energy from 161 up to 202 GeV. A new method has been developed for calculating such combined limits. This method takes into account the statistical independence of each measurement and the dependency of the squark production cross section on the center-of-mass energy. In this calculation, the systematic uncertainties in the Standard Model background estimation and in the signal selection efficiency have been also accounted for. For the considered squark decays, the typical obtained 95 % C.L. upper limits on the squark production cross section are: ~ 0.05-0.2 pb (for stop) and ~ 0.05-0.1 pb (for sbottom). In the searches for the stop three body decay stop -> b W neutralino_1, the cross sections above 0.7-1.0 pb have been excluded at 95 % C.L. Within the framework of MSSM with conserved R-parity, the experimental model independent cross section limits have been used for exclusion of the MSSM model parameters, in particular, exclusion of the stop and the sbottom masses. For each considered decay channel, the squark masses have been excluded in two possible scenarios: for the maximal and for the (approximately) minimal theoretical cross section. The first case corresponds to the maximal mixing between the left and right squark eigenstates, cos(theta) = 1; the second case is defined by the cos(theta) value, where squarks decouple from the Z boson. Depending on the mass difference between squark and the LSP, the squark masses have been excluded at 95 % C.L. up to the following values: - for stop -> c neutralino_1: M_stop < 90-93 GeV for minimal cross section, M_stop < 95-96 GeV for maximal cross section; - for stop -> b l sneutrino: M_stop < 87-89 GeV for minimal cross section, M_stop < 90-91 GeV for maximal cross section; - for stop -> b tau sneutrino: M_stop < 83-88 GeV for minimal cross section, M_stop < 88-91 GeV for maximal cross section; - for sbottom -> b neutralino_1: M_stop < 76-83 GeV for minimal cross section, M_stop < 94-97 GeV for maximal cross section. For both cases, the experimentally observed 95 \% C.L. mass exclusions are compared to the expected ones, which have been obtained from the Monte-Carlo assuming no SUSY particles. The observed exclusions of the squark masses are at the same level as the expected ones. The obtained 95 % C.L. upper limits on the stop production cross section in the decay stop -> b W neutralino_1 are bigger than the corresponding theoretical predictions, so, the exclusion of masses at 95 % C.L. was not possible with the available data sample. Assuming the topology of decays of the scalar quarks of the first two generations to be similar to the two body decay of the stop, the results of the searches for the decay stop -> c neutralino_1 have been also used for calculation of the mass exclusion limits for the squarks of the first two families. Two possibilities were considered here: the mass degeneracy between four (scalar u, d, c, s) and five (scalar b in addition) squarks. The 95 % C.L. exclusion limits on the mass degenerate scalar quarks for the cases of the "right-only" or "left-and-right" eigenstates are the following: - for the mass degeneration between 4 squarks: M_squark < 95-96 GeV ("right-only"), M_squark < 99-100 GeV ("left-and-right"); - for the mass degeneration between 5 squarks: M_squark < 96-97 GeV ("right-only"), M_squark < 99-101 GeV ("left-and-right"). Using the MSSM assumption about gaugino unification at the GUT scale, the limits on the four mass degenerate squarks have been reinterpreted on the squark-gluino mass plane. Moreover, the absolute limit on the MSSM parameter M_2, obtained for tan(beta) = 4 from other L3 SUSY searches (for chargino, neutralino and scalar leptons), has been translated into a gluino mass limit. The obtained 95 % C.L. exclusions in the squark-gluino mass plane are - M_gluino > 267-314 GeV, - M_squark > 99-100 GeV.

The existence of a charged Higgs boson is hypothesised in different extensions of new physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. This thesis presents a search for charged Higgs bosons decaying to top and bottom quarks that was carried out using data collected by the DØ experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, IL. The search investigated the existence of charged Higgs bosons in the mass range 180 ≤ MH+ ≤ 300 GeV/c2, and in the context of different two-Higgs-doublet model extensions to the Standard Model. Nearly 1 fb−1 of data from proton-antiproton collisions at the centre-of-mass energy √s=1.96 TeV were analysed. No evidence for the existence of a charged Higgs boson was found. Upper limits on production cross-sections were derived for Types I, II, and III two- Higgs-doublet models. Excluded regions in the (MH+, tan β) plane for Type I were calculated.
L'existence d'un boson chargè de Higgs est suggérée hypothétiquement dans différentes extensions de la nouvelle physique allant au-delà du Modèle Standard de la physique des particules. Cette thèse présente une recherche de bosons chargés de Higgs se désintégrant en quarks top et bottom dans les données de l'expérience DØ au Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory à Batavia, IL. La fouille investigue l'existence de bosons chargés de Higgs ayant une masse 180 ≤ MH+ ≤ 300 GeV/c2, et dans le contexte de différentes extensions du Modèle Standard à doublets de deux Higgs. Près de 1 fb−1 de données provenant de collisions proton-antiproton à une énergie de centre de masse √s=1.96 TeV ont été analysées. Aucune évidence de l'existence de bosons chargés n'a été trouvée. Des limites supérieures sur la section efficace de production ont été dérivées pour les Types I, II et III des modèles à doublets de deux Higgs. Des régions d'exclusion dans le plan (MH+, tan β) pour le Type I ont été calculées.

This thesis describes the search for new heavy neutral gauge bosons decaying into di-electron pairs, focussing on the Z′SSM boson described by the Sequential Standard Model. The analysis uses 20.3fb−1 of pp collisions at √s = 8TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during the 2012 data taking period at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The invariant mass spectrum of di-electron pairs is used as the search variable and is analysed in the region 80 GeV < mee < 4500 GeV. The spectrum is compared to the Standard Model expectation dominated by the neutral current Drell-Yan process. Several novel techniques are developed to improve the description of both, the Drell-Yan process and photon-induced di-lepton production. As no significant excess is found in the data, statistical techniques are used to interpret the result as limits on the production and decay of a new heavy gauge boson. A 95% C.L. Bayesian lower limit is set on the Z′SSM mass at 2.78TeV with a corresponding upper limit on the Z′SSM cross-section times branching ratio σ × Br(Z′SSM → e+e−) of 3.53 × 10−4 pb.

In this thesis, the search for a new heavy charged gauge boson, namely the W', in the context of the Sequential Standard Model is described. The study presented here focuses on W' decays to an electron and a neutrino. The analysis utilises 36.1 fb-1 of √s = 13 TeV proton-proton (pp) collision data recorded using the ATLAS detector over the 2015 and 2016 data taking periods at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The transverse mass, mT, is used as the search variable and is analysed over the region 150 < mT < 6000 GeV. The mT spectrum for selected W' candidates is compared to the Standard Model expectation, which is quantified using a combination of simulated Standard Model predictions with state-of-the-art theory corrections, and data-driven methods. No significant excess is observed above the Standard Model, therefore statistical techniques are adopted in order to obtain limits on the production and decay of this new gauge boson. A frequentist framework widely used in the ATLAS community is adapted for the statistical analysis presented here, in a departure from the Bayesian tools historically used for this analysis. Frequentist tools are used to set a 95% CL lower limit on the W' SSM transverse mass of 5.1 TeV. A novel reinterpretation of W' → ℓℓ and Z' → ℓν results in the context of a Heavy Vector Triplet model is also presented. Using the newly adapted frequentist statistical tools, combined V' → ℓℓ/ℓν resonances with masses below 4.67 TeV are excluded at 95% CL. A full combination of these results with those obtained from searches for diboson resonances (VV +VH) is described, with final two-dimensional limits set in two coupling planes (based on the couplings to fermions and the Higgs boson). The resulting exclusion limits are compared to indirect limits from various EW fits (including LEP), proving to provide more stringent constraints over the majority of the tested parameter space.

The discovery of non-zero neutrino masses has introduced a new mass scale into the Standard Model of particle physics that is at least six orders of magnitude below the electron mass. In the absence of a Standard Model mechanism that can explain the origin of the neutrino mass scale, one can consider the possibility that neutrinos are Majorana fermions which would allow right-handed neutrinos to acquire an additional mass term without requiring new interactions. A mixing of the neutrino Majorana mass terms and Standard Model Dirac mass terms generates mass eigenstates corresponding to light neutrinos, which have already been observed, and heavy neutrinos, which have not. This thesis presents a search for same-sign lepton pairs from the decay of heavy Majorana neutrinos produced in sqrt(s)=8 TeV proton-proton collisions in the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb^(-1). No excess of events above the expected background is observed and 95% confidence level upper limits are set on the cross-section times branching ratio with respect to heavy Majorana neutrino masses in the range 100 to 500 GeV. The presented limits are the most stringent direct limits set to date for heavy neutrino masses greater than 100 GeV.

New metastable massive particles with electric and colour charge are features of many theories beyond the Standard Model. A search is performed for long-lived gluino-based R-hadrons with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 31 pb(-1). We search for evidence of particles that have come to rest in the ATLAS detector and decay at some later time during the periods in the LHC bunch structure without proton-proton collisions. No significant deviations from the expected backgrounds are observed, and a cross-section limit is set. It can be interpreted as excluding gluino-based R-hadrons with masses less than 341 GeV at the 95 % C.L., for lifetimes from 10(-5) to 10(3) seconds and a neutralino mass of 100 GeV.

ATLAS Collaboration, for complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-012-1965-6