Single-Top Quark Physics at the LHC: From Precision Measurements to Rare Processes and Top Quark Properties

Abstract

Since the initial measurements of single-top quark production at the Tevatron in 2009, tremendous progress has been made at the LHC. While LHC Run 1 marked the beginning of a precision era for the single-top quark measurements in some of the main production mechanisms, LHC Run 2 witnessed the emergence and exploration of new processes associating top quark production with a neutral boson. In this paper, we review the measurements of the three main production mechanisms (t-channel, s-channel, and tW production), and of the associated production with a photon, a Z boson, or a Higgs boson. Differential cross-sections are measured for several of these processes and compared with theoretical predictions. The top quark properties that can be measured in single-top quark processes are scrutinized, such as Wtb couplings and top quark couplings with neutral bosons, and the polarizations of both the W boson and top quark. The effective field theory framework is emerging as a standard for interpreting property measurements. Perspectives for LHC Run 3 and the HL-LHC are discussed in the conclusions.