Abstract: Searches for the exclusive decays of the Higgs and Z bosons into a J/psi, psi(2S), or Upsilon(nS) (n = 1, 2, 3) meson and a photon are performed with a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1) collected at root s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected backgrounds, and 95% confidence- level upper limits on the branching fractions of the Higgs boson decays to J/psi gamma, psi(2S) gamma and Upsilon(nS) gamma of 3.5 x 10(-4), 2.0 x 10(-3), and (4.9, 5.9, 5.7) x 10(-4), respectively, are obtained assuming Standard Model production. The corresponding 95% confidence-level upper limits for the branching fractions of the Z boson decays are 2.3 x 10(-6), 4.5 x 10(-6) and (2.8, 1.7, 4.8) 10(-6), respectively.

Abstract: The integrated fiducial cross-section and unfolded differential jet mass spectrum of high transverse momentum Z -> b (b) over bar decays are measured in Z gamma events in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV. The data analysed were collected between 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1). Photons are required to have a transverse momentum p(T) > 175 GeV. The Z -> b (b) over bar decay is reconstructed using a jet with p(T) > 200 GeV, found with the anti-k(t) R = 1.0 jet algorithm, and groomed to remove soft and wide-angle radiation and to mitigate contributions from the underlying event and additional proton-proton collisions. Two different but related measurements are performed using two jet grooming definitions for reconstructing the Z -> b (b) over bar decay: trimming and soft drop. These algorithms differ in their experimental and phenomenological implications regarding jet mass reconstruction and theoretical precision. To identify Zbosons, b-tagged R = 0.2 track-jets matched to the groomed large-R calorimeter jet are used as a proxy for the b-quarks. The signal yield is determined from fits of the data-driven background templates to the different jet mass distributions for the two grooming methods. Integrated fiducial cross-sections and unfolded jet mass spectra for each grooming method are compared with leading-order theoretical predictions. The results are found to be in good agreement with Standard Model expectations within the current statistical and systematic uncertainties.

Abstract: A search for heavy neutral Higgs bosons and Z' bosons is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1) from proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2015 and 2016. The heavy resonance is assumed to decay to tau(+)tau(-) with at least one tau lepton decaying to final states with hadrons and a neutrino. The search is performed in the mass range of 0.2-2.25 TeV for Higgs bosons and 0.2-4.0 TeV for Z' bosons. The data are in good agreement with the background predicted by the Standard Model. The results are interpreted in benchmark scenarios. In the context of the hMSSM scenario, the data exclude tan beta > 1.0 for m(A) = 0.25 TeV and tan beta > 42 for m(A) = 1.5 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the Sequential Standard Model, Z'(SSM) with m(Z') < 2.42 TeV is excluded at 95% confidence level, while Z'(NU) with m(Z') < 2.25 TeV is excluded for the non-universal G(221) model that exhibits enhanced couplings to third-generation fermions.