Exploring axionlike particle couplings through single top tW -channel and top pair production at the LHC

In this paper, we explore the interactions between light axionlike particles (ALPs) and top quarks, gluons, and <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mi>W</a:mi></a:math>-bosons. Utilizing high-energy probes at the LHC, we probe these couplings in the context of single top quark production associated with a <c:math xmlns:c="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><c:mi>W</c:mi></c:math>-boson and an ALP. We analyze the latest LHC Run II data on <e:math xmlns:e="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><e:mi>t</e:mi><e:mover accent="true"><e:mi>t</e:mi><e:mo stretchy="false">¯</e:mo></e:mover></e:math> spin correlation measurements to establish constraints on these couplings. Additionally, we compare these constraints with those derived from loop-induced couplings and indirect searches involving <i:math xmlns:i="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><i:mi>B</i:mi></i:math>-meson decays. Furthermore, we derive two-dimensional limits on the ALP couplings with top quarks and gluons. Published by the American Physical Society 2024