Search for high mass resonances decaying to tau pairs at the CMS experiment

Abstract

High-mass states such as heavy gauge bosons (Z'), Kaluza-Klein resonances, and gravitons, all of which decay into di-lepton states, are predicted by several physics models. In this thesis a general search for high mass resonances decaying to tau lepton pairs at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is performed. We use a Z' particle with standard model couplings as a high mass benchmark in order to develop and tune the analysis. Taus that decay either to an electron or a single charged hadron in the final state are used to reconstruct the Z' (high mass particle), and the results of this search are combined with other tau decay analyses to increase sensitivity. The combined result from the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment 2010 data taking exceeds the sensitivity achieved by a previous search carried out by the CDF experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia Illinois. Analyses performed with the 2011 data will also be discussed.