A search for heavy resonances that decay to tau lepton pairs is performed using proton-proton collisions at \sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The data were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 2.2 inverse femtobarns. The observations are in agreement with standard model predictions. An upper limit at 95% confidence level on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction into tau lepton pairs is calculated as a function of the resonance mass. For the sequential standard model, the presence of Z' bosons decaying into tau lepton pairs is excluded for Z' masses below 2.1 TeV, extending previous limits for this final state. For the topcolor-assisted technicolor model, which predicts Z' bosons that preferentially couple to third-generation fermions, Z' masses below 1.7 TeV are excluded, representing the most stringent limit to date.

Over the last few decades, the Standard Model (SM) of particle physics has been used as a means of understanding the world around us. However, there is an increasing amount of data that suggests the SM of particle physics only describes nature up to energies of the electroweak scale. Extensions to the SM have been developed as a means of explaining experimental observation. If these extensions are indeed the correct mathematical descriptions of nature, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland, is expected to produce new and exciting physics signatures that can shed light on the evolution of our universe since the early hypothesized Big Bang. Of particular interest are models that may lead to events with highly energetic tau lepton pairs. In this dissertation, focus is placed on a possible search for new heavy gauge bosons decaying to highly energetic tau pairs using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb−1 of proton-proton collisions at [square root of] s = 7 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The number of observed events in the data is in good agreement with the predictions for SM background processes. In the context of the Sequential SM, a Zʹ with mass less than 468 GeV/c2 is excluded at 95%credibility level, exceeding the sensitivity by the Tevatron experiments at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

A search for narrow resonances decaying to an electron and a muon is presented. The $mathrm {e}$ ${mu }$ mass spectrum is also investigated for non-resonant contributions from the production of quantum black holes (QBHs). The analysis is performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 $̃text {fb}̂text {-1}$ collected in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 $̃text {TeV}$ with the CMS detector at the LHC. With no evidence for physics beyond the standard model in the invariant mass spectrum of selected $mathrm {e}mu $ pairs, upper limits are set at 95 $%$ confidence level on the product of cross section and branching fraction for signals arising in theories with charged lepton flavour violation. In the search for narrow resonances, the resonant production of a $mathrm { au }$ sneutrino in R-parity violating supersymmetry is considered. The $mathrm { au }$ sneutrino is excluded for masses below 1.28 $̃text {TeV}$ for couplings $lambda _„=lambda _ç=lambda '_ķ=0.01$ , and below 2.30 $̃text {TeV}$ for $lambda _„=lambda _ç=0.07$ and $lambda '_ķ=0.11$ . These are the most stringent limits to date from direct searches at high-energy colliders. In addition, the resonance searches are interpreted in terms of a model with heavy partners of the ${mathrm {Z}} $ boson and the photon. In a framework of TeV-scale quantum gravity based on a renormalization of Newton’s constant, the search for non-resonant contributions to the $mathrm {e}$ ${mu }$ mass spectrum excludes QBH production below a threshold mass $M_{mathrm {th}}$ of 1.99 $̃text {TeV}$ . In models that invoke extra dimensions, the bounds range from 2.36 $̃text {TeV}$ for one extra dimension to 3.63 $̃text {TeV}$ for six extra dimensions. Furthermore, this is the first search for QBHs decaying into the $mathrm {e}$ ${mu }$ final state.

The work presented in this thesis spans a wide range of experimental particle physics subjects, starting from level-1 trigger electronics to the final results of the search for Higgs boson decay and to tau lepton pairs. The thesis describes an innovative reconstruction algorithm for tau decays and details how it was instrumental in providing a measurement of Z decay to tau lepton pairs. The reliability of the analysis is fully established by this measurement before the Higgs boson decay to tau lepton pairs is considered. The work described here continues to serve as a model for analysing CMS Higgs to tau leptons measurements.

A search for new particles that decay into top quark pairs is reported. The search is performed with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collision data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of \(\sqrt{s}=8 \) TeV. The lepton-plus-jets final state is used, where the top pair decays to \({W}^{+}b{W}^{-}\overline{b} \), with one W boson decaying leptonically and the other hadronically. The invariant mass spectrum of top quark pairs is examined for local excesses or deficits that are inconsistent with the Standard Model predictions. No evidence for a top quark pair resonance is found, and 95% confidence-level limits on the production rate are determined for massive states in benchmark models. The upper limits on the cross-section times branching ratio of a narrow Z' boson decaying to top pairs range from 4.2 pb to 0.03 pb for resonance masses from 0.4 TeV to 3.0 TeV. A narrow leptophobic topcolour Z' boson with mass below 1.8 TeV is excluded. Upper limits are set on the cross-section times branching ratio for a broad colour-octet resonance with [Gamma]/m = 15% decaying to \(t\overline{t} \). These range from 4.8 pb to 0.03 pb for masses from 0.4 TeV to 3.0 TeV. A Kaluza-Klein excitation of the gluon in a Randall-Sundrum model is excluded for masses below 2.2 TeV.

We found that the first search for a heavy charged vector boson in the final state with a tau lepton and a neutrino is reported, using 19.7 fb-1 of LHC data at √s = 8 TeV. A signal would appear as an excess of events in kinematic regions where the standard model background is low. No excess is observed. Limits are set on a model in which the W' decays preferentially to fermions of the third generation. Our results substantially extend previous constraints on this model. Masses below 2.0 to 2.7 TeV are excluded, depending on the model parameters. In addition, the existence of a W' boson with universal fermion couplings is excluded at 95% confidence level, for W' masses below 2.7 TeV.

A search is performed in proton–proton collisions at √s=8 TeV for exotic particles decaying via WZ to fully leptonic final states with electrons, muons, and neutrinos. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb-1. No significant excess is observed above the expected standard model background. Upper bounds at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section of a W' boson as predicted by an extended gauge model, and on the W'WZ coupling. The expected and observed mass limits for a W' boson, as predicted by this model, are 1.55 and 1.47 TeV, respectively. Stringent limits are also set in the context of low-scale technicolor models under a range of assumptions for the model parameters.

A search for pair production of third-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to top quark and $\tau$ lepton pairs is presented using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb-1. The search is performed using events that contain an electron or a muon, a hadronically decaying $\tau$ lepton, and two or more jets. The observations are found to be consistent with the standard model predictions. Assuming that all leptoquarks decay to a top quark and a $\tau$ lepton, the existence of pair produced, charge -1/3, third-generation leptoquarks up to a mass of 685 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level. This result constitutes the first direct limit for leptoquarks decaying into a top quark and a $\tau$ lepton, and may also be applied directly to the pair production of bottom squarks decaying predominantly via the R-parity violating coupling [lambda]' 333.

A search is performed for the production of heavy resonances decaying into top-antitop quark pairs in proton-proton collisions at √s = 8 TeV. Data used for the analyses were collected with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb–1. The search is performed using events with three different final states, defined by the number of leptons (electrons and muons) from the tt¯ → WbWb decay. The analyses are optimized for reconstruction of top quarks with high Lorentz boosts, where jet substructure techniques are used to enhance the sensitivity. Results are presented for all channels and a combination is performed. Furthermore, no significant excess of events relative to the expected yield from standard model processes is observed.