Search for vector-like quarks in events with two oppositely charged leptons and jets in proton–proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 13 TeV $$sqrts = 13, ext Te ext V $$ s = 13 Te

A search for the pair production of heavy vector-like partners and of the top and bottom quarks has been performed by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC using proton–proton collisions at . The data sample was collected in 2016 and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9. Final states studied for production include those where one of the quarks decays via and the other via , , or , where is a Higgs boson. For the case, final states include those where one of the quarks decays via and the other , , or . Events with two oppositely charged electrons or muons, consistent with coming from the decay of a boson, and jets are investigated. The number of observed events is consistent with standard model background estimations. Lower limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the masses of the and quarks for a range of branching fractions. Assuming 100% branching fractions for , and , and quark mass values below 1280 and 1130, respectively, are excluded.