Search for resonances in events with photon and jet final states in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for resonances in events with the γ+jet final state has been performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The total data analyzed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1. Models of excited quarks and quantum black holes are considered. Using a wide-jet reconstruction for the candidate jet, the γ+jet invariant mass spectrum measured in data is examined for the presence of resonances over the standard model continuum background. The background is estimated by fitting this mass distribution with a functional form. The data exhibit no statistically significant deviations from the expected standard model background. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level on the resonance mass and other parameters are set. Excited light-flavor quarks (excited bottom quarks) are excluded up to a mass of 6.0 (3.8) TeV. Quantum black hole production is excluded for masses up to 7.5 (5.2) TeV in the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali (Randall-Sundrum) model. These lower mass bounds are the most stringent to date among those obtained in the γ+jet final state. © The Author(s) 2024.