Abstract: A search for flavour-changing neutral-current processes in top-quark decays is presented. Data collected with the ATLAS detector from proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1), are analysed. The search is performed using top-quark pair events, with one top quark decaying through the t -> qZ (q = u, c) flavour-changing neutral-current channel, and the other through the dominant Standard Model mode t -> bW. Only Z boson decays into charged leptons and leptonic W boson decays are considered as signal. Consequently, the final-state topology is characterized by the presence of three isolated charged leptons (electrons or muons), at least two jets, one of the jets originating from a b-quark, and missing transverse momentum from the undetected neutrino. The data are consistent with Standard Model background contributions, and at 95% confidence level the search sets observed (expected) upper limits of 1.7 x 10(-4) (2.4 x 10(-4)) on the t -> uZ branching ratio and 2.4 x 10(-4) (3.2 x 10(-4)) on the t -> cZ branching ratio, constituting the most stringent limits to date.

Abstract: Single top-quark production in association with a Z boson, where the Z boson decays to a pair of charged leptons, is measured in the trilepton channel. The proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment from 2015 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). Events containing three isolated charged leptons (electrons or muons) and two or three jets, one of which is identified as containing a b-hadron, are selected. The main backgrounds are from t (t) over barZ and diboson production. Neural networks are used to improve the background rejection and extract the signal. The measured cross-section for tl(+)l(-) q production, including non-resonant dilepton pairs with m(l+l-) > 30 GeV, is 97 +/- 13 (stat.) +/- 7 (syst.) fb, consistent with the Standard Model prediction.

Abstract: A search for Higgs boson pair production via vector-boson fusion (VBF) in the b bbar b bbar final state is carried out with the ATLAS experiment using 126 fb(-1) of proton- proton collision data delivered at root s = 13 TeV by the Large Hadron Collider. This search is sensitive to VBF production of additional heavy bosons that may decay into Higgs boson pairs, and in a non-resonant topology it can constrain the quartic coupling between the Higgs bosons and vector bosons. No significant excess relative to the Standard Model expectation is observed, and limits on the production cross-section are set at the 95% confidence level for a heavy scalar resonance in the context of an extended Higgs sector, and for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production. Interpretation in terms of the coupling between a Higgs boson pair and two vector bosons is also provided: coupling values normalised to the Standard Model expectation of kappa (2V)< -0.76 and <kappa>(2V)> 2.90 are excluded at the 95% confidence level in data.

Abstract: A search is conducted for a beyond-the-Standard-Model boson using events where a Higgs boson with mass 125 GeV decays to four leptons (l = e or mu). This decay is presumed to occur via an intermediate state which contains one or two on-shell, promptly decaying bosons: H -> ZX/XX -> 4l , where X is a new vector boson Z(d) or pseudoscalar a with mass between 1 and 60 GeV. The search uses pp collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1) at a centre-of-mass energy root s = 13TeV. No significant excess of events above Standard Model background predictions is observed; therefore, upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on model-independent fiducial cross-sections, and on the Higgs boson decay branching ratios to vector and pseudoscalar bosons in two benchmark models.

Abstract: The results of a search for the direct pair production of top squarks, the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, in final states with one isolated electron or muon, several energetic jets, and missing transverse momentum are reported. The analysis also targets spin-0 mediator models, where the mediator decays into a pair of dark-matter particles and is produced in association with a pair of top quarks. The search uses data from proton-proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016 at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 fb(-1). A wide range of signal scenarios with different mass-splittings between the top squark, the lightest neutralino and possible intermediate supersymmetric particles are considered, including cases where the W bosons or the top quarks produced in the decay chain are off-shell. No significant excess over the Standard Model prediction is observed. The null results are used to set exclusion limits at 95% confidence level in several supersymmetry benchmark models. For pair-produced top-squarks decaying into top quarks, top-squark masses up to 940 GeV are excluded. Stringent exclusion limits are also derived for all other considered top-squark decay scenarios. For the spin-0 mediator models, upper limits are set on the visible cross-section.