Abstract: A search for a pair of neutral, scalar bosons with each decaying into two W bosons is presented using 36.1 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This search uses three production models: non-resonant and resonant Higgs boson pair production and resonant production of a pair of heavy scalar particles. Three final states, classified by the number of leptons, are analysed: two same-sign leptons, three leptons, and four leptons. No significant excess over the expected Standard Model backgrounds is observed. An observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limit of 160 (120) times the Standard Model prediction of non-resonant Higgs boson pair production cross-section is set from a combined analysis of the three final states. Upper limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio of a heavy scalar X decaying into a Higgs boson pair in the mass range of 260 GeV m(X) 500 GeV and the observed (expected) limits range from 9.3 (10) pb to 2.8 (2.6) pb. Upper limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio of a heavy scalar X decaying into a pair of heavy scalars S for mass ranges of 280 GeV m(X) 340 GeV and 135 GeV m(S) 165 GeV and the observed (expected) limits range from 2.5 (2.5) pb to 0.16 (0.17) pb.

Abstract: A search for new particles decaying into a pair of top quarks is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a center-of-mass energy of root s = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1). Events consistent with top-quark pair production and the fully hadronic decay mode of the top quarks are selected by requiring multiple high transverse momentum jets including those containing b-hadrons. Two analysis techniques, exploiting dedicated top-quark pair reconstruction in different kinematic regimes, are used to optimize the search sensitivity to new hypothetical particles over a wide mass range. The invariant mass distribution of the two reconstructed top-quark candidates is examined for resonant production of new particles with various spins and decay widths. No significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction is observed and limits are set on the production cross-section times branching fraction for new hypothetical Z' bosons, dark-matter mediators, Kaluza-Klein gravitons and Kaluza-Klein gluons. By comparing with the predicted production cross sections, the Z' boson in the topcolor-assisted-technicolor model is excluded for masses up to 3.1-3.6 TeV, the dark-matter mediators in a simplified framework are excluded in the mass ranges from 0.8 to 0.9 TeV and from 2.0 to 2.2 TeV, and the Kaluza-Klein gluon is excluded for masses up to 3.4 TeV, depending on the decay widths of the particles.

Abstract: The problems of neutrino masses, matter-antimatter asymmetry, and dark matter could be successfully addressed by postulating right-handed neutrinos with Majorana masses below the electroweak scale. In this work, leptonic decays of W bosons extracted from 32.9 fb(-1) to 36.1 fb(-1) of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC are used to search for heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) that are produced through mixing with muon or electron neutrinos. The search is conducted using the ATLAS detector in both prompt and displaced leptonic decay signatures. The prompt signature requires three leptons produced at the interaction point (either μμe or ee mu) with a veto on same-flavour opposite-charge topologies. The displaced signature comprises a prompt muon from the W boson decay and the requirement of a dilepton vertex (either μμor μe) displaced in the transverse plane by 4-300 mm from the interaction point. The search sets constraints on the HNL mixing to muon and electron neutrinos for HNL masses in the range 4.5-50 GeV.