Measurements of the Production Cross-Section for a <i>z</I> Boson in Association With <i>b</I>- or <i>c</I>-jets in Proton-Proton Collisions at √<i>s</I>=13 Tev With the Atlas Detector

Abstract

This paper presents a measurement of the production cross-section of a Z boson in association with b- or c-jets, in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb(-1). Inclusive and differential cross-sections are measured for events containing a Z boson decaying into electrons or muons and produced in association with at least one b-jet, at least one c-jet, or at least two b-jets with transverse momentum p(T) > 20 GeV and rapidity vertical bar y vertical bar < 2.5. Predictions from several Monte Carlo generators based on next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced with a parton-shower simulation, with different choices of flavour schemes for initial-state partons, are compared with the measured cross-sections. The results are also compared with novel predictions, based on infrared and collinear safe jet flavour dressing algorithms. Selected Z+ >= 1 c-jet observables, optimized for sensitivity to intrinsic-charm, are compared with benchmark models with different intrinsic-charm fractions.