Leptoquark

{{Short description|Hypothetical particle}}

{{Short description|Hypothetical particle}}

'''Leptoquarks''' are hypothetical particles that would interact with [[quarks]] and [[leptons]]. Leptoquarks are color-triplet [[boson]]s that carry both [[Lepton number|lepton]] and [[baryon number]]s. Their other [[quantum numbers]], like [[Spin (physics)|spin]], (fractional) [[electric charge]] and [[weak isospin]] vary among models. Leptoquarks are encountered in various extensions of the [[Standard Model]], such as [[technicolor (physics)|technicolor]] theories, theories of quark–lepton unification (e.g., [[Pati–Salam model]]), or [[Grand Unified Theories]] based on [[Georgi–Glashow model|SU(5)]], [[SO(10)]], [[E6 (mathematics)|E₆]], etc. Leptoquarks are currently searched for in experiments [[ATLAS experiment|ATLAS]] and [[CMS experiment|CMS]] at the [[Large Hadron Collider]] in [[CERN]].

In physics, '''leptoquarks''' are hypothetical particles that would interact with [[quarks]] and [[leptons]]. Leptoquarks are color-triplet [[boson]]s that carry both [[Lepton number|lepton]] and [[baryon number]]s. Their other [[quantum numbers]], like [[Spin (physics)|spin]], (fractional) [[electric charge]] and [[weak isospin]] vary among models. Leptoquarks are encountered in various extensions of the [[Standard Model]], such as [[technicolor (physics)|technicolor]] theories, theories of quark–lepton unification (e.g., [[Pati–Salam model]]), or [[Grand Unified Theories]] based on [[Georgi–Glashow model|SU(5)]], [[SO(10)]], [[E6 (mathematics)|E₆]], etc. Leptoquarks are currently searched for in experiments [[ATLAS experiment|ATLAS]] and [[CMS experiment|CMS]] at the [[Large Hadron Collider]] in [[CERN]].

In March 2021, there were some reports to hint at the possible existence of leptoquarks as an unexpected difference in how [[bottom quark]]s decay to create electrons or muons. The measurement has been made at a statistical significance of 3.1[[Standard deviation|σ]], which is well below the 5σ level that is usually considered a discovery.{{cite magazine| url= https://physicsworld.com/a/has-a-new-particle-called-a-leptoquark-been-spotted-at-cern/ | title = Has a new particle called a 'leptoquark' been spotted at CERN? | first=Hamish |last=Johnston | magazine=[[Physics World]] | date= 23 March 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210324054334/https://physicsworld.com/a/has-a-new-particle-called-a-leptoquark-been-spotted-at-cern/ | archive-date = 24 March 2021 }}

In March 2021, there were some reports to hint at the possible existence of leptoquarks as an unexpected difference in how [[bottom quark]]s decay to create electrons or muons. The measurement has been made at a statistical significance of 3.1[[Standard deviation|σ]], which is well below the 5σ level that is usually considered a discovery.{{cite magazine| url= https://physicsworld.com/a/has-a-new-particle-called-a-leptoquark-been-spotted-at-cern/ | title = Has a new particle called a 'leptoquark' been spotted at CERN? | first=Hamish |last=Johnston | magazine=[[Physics World]] | date= 23 March 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210324054334/https://physicsworld.com/a/has-a-new-particle-called-a-leptoquark-been-spotted-at-cern/ | archive-date = 24 March 2021 }}