Abstract: A search for a new heavy scalar particle X decaying into a Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson and a new singlet scalar particle S is presented. The search uses a proton-proton (pp) collision data sample with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb(-1) recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The most sensitive mass parameter space is explored in X mass ranging from 500 to 1500 GeV, with the corresponding S mass in the range 200-500 GeV. The search selects events with two hadronically decaying tau-lepton candidates from H -> tau(+)tau(-) decays and one or two light leptons (l = e, mu) from S -> VV (V = W, Z) decays while the remaining V boson decays hadronically or to neutrinos. A multivariate discriminant based on event kinematics is used to separate the signal from the background. No excess is observed beyond the expected SM background and 95% confidence level upper limits between 72 fb and 542 fb are derived on the cross-section sigma(pp -> X -> SH) assuming the same SM-Higgs boson-like decay branching ratios for the S -> VV decay. Upper limits on the visible cross-sections sigma(pp -> X -> SH -> WW tau tau) and sigma(pp -> X -> SH -> ZZ tau tau) are also set in the ranges 3-26 fb and 6-33 fb, respectively.

Abstract: A search for flavour-changing neutral-current decays of a top quark into an up-type quark (either up or charm) and a light scalar particle X decaying into a bottom anti-bottom quark pair is presented. The search focuses on top-quark pair production where one top quark decays to qX, with X -> b (b) over bar, and the other top quark decays according to the Standard Model, with the W boson decaying leptonically. The final state is thus characterised by an isolated electron or muon and at least four jets. Events are categorised according to the multiplicity of jets and jets tagged as originating from b-quarks, and a neural network is used to discriminate between signal and background processes. The data analysed correspond to 139 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV, recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The 95% confidence-level upper limits between 0.019% and 0.062% are derived for the branching fraction B(t -> uX) and between 0.018% and 0.078% for the branching fraction B(t -> cX), for masses of the scalar particle X between 20 and 160 GeV.

Abstract: A search for forward proton scattering in association with light-by-light scattering mediated by an axion-like particle is presented, using the ATLAS Forward Proton spectrometer to detect scattered protons and the central ATLAS detector to detect pairs of outgoing photons. Proton-proton collision data recorded in 2017 at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV were analysed, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 14.6 fb(-1). A total of 441 candidate events were selected. A search was made for a narrow resonance in the diphoton mass distribution, corresponding to an axion-like particle (ALP) with mass in the range 150-1600 GeV. No excess is observed above a smooth background. Upper limits on the production cross section of a narrow resonance are set as a function of the mass, and are interpreted as upper limits on the ALP production coupling constant, assuming 100% decay branching ratio into a photon pair. The inferred upper limit on the coupling constant is in the range 0.04-0.09TeV-1 at 95% confidence level.

Abstract: Several extensions of the Standard Model predict the production of dark matter particles at the LHC. A search for dark matter particles produced in association with a dark Higgs boson decaying into W+W- in the l(+/-)nu q (q) over bar' final states with l = e, μis presented. This analysis uses 139 fb(-1) of pp collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV. The W-+/- -> q (q) over bar' decays are reconstructed from pairs of calorimeter-measured jets or from track-assisted reclustered jets, a technique aimed at resolving the dense topology from a pair of boosted quarks using jets in the calorimeter and tracking information. The observed data are found to agree with Standard Model predictions. Scenarios with dark Higgs boson masses ranging between 140 and 390 GeV are excluded.

Abstract: This paper presents a search for dark matter, chi, using events with a single top quark and an energetic W boson. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS experiment at root s = 13 TeV during LHC Run 2 (2015-2018), corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). The search considers final states with zero or one charged lepton (electron or muon), at least one b-jet and large missing transverse momentum. In addition, a result from a previous search considering two-charged-lepton final states is included in the interpretation of the results. The data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model predictions and the results are interpreted in terms of 95% confidence-level exclusion limits in the context of a class of dark matter models involving an extended two-Higgs-doublet sector together with a pseudoscalar mediator particle. The search is particularly sensitive to on-shell production of the charged Higgs boson state, H-+/-, arising from the two-Higgs-doublet mixing, and its semi-invisible decays via the mediator particle, a: H-+/- -> W(+/-)a(-> chi chi). Signal models with H-+/- masses up to 1.5 TeV and a masses up to 350 GeV are excluded assuming a tan beta value of 1. For masses of a of 150 (250) GeV, tan beta values up to 2 are excluded for H-+/- masses between 200 (400) GeV and 1.5 TeV. Signals with tan beta values between 20 and 30 are excluded for H-+/- masses between 500 and 800 GeV.