A search for flavor-changing neutral currents in top-quark decays t -> Zq is performed in events produced from the decay chain (tt) over bar -> Zq + Wb, where both vector bosons decay leptonically, producing a final state with three leptons (electrons or muons). A data set collected with the CMS detector at the LHC is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. No excess is seen in the observed number of events relative to the standard model prediction; thus, no evidence for flavor-changing neutral currents in top-quark decays is found. A combination with a previous search at 7 TeV excludes a t. Zq branching fraction greater than 0.05% at the 95% confidence level.

Search for Flavor-Changing Neutral Currents in Top-Quark Decays t -> Zq in pp Collisions at root s=8 TeV

BISELLO, DARIO;BRANCA, ANTONIO;CARLIN, ROBERTO;GALANTI, MARIO;GASPARINI, FABRIZIO;GASPARINI, UGO;GIUBILATO, PIERO;GOZZELINO, ANDREA;MARGONI, MARTINO;MENEGUZZO, ANNA TERESA;PAZZINI, JACOPO;POZZOBON, NICOLA;RONCHESE, PAOLO;SIMONETTO, FRANCO;TOSI, MIA;VANINI, SARA;ZOTTO, PIERLUIGI;ZUCCHETTA, ALBERTO;ZUMERLE, GIANNI;M. Grassi;ROSSIN, ROBERTO;A. Gaz;M. Zanetti;