A search for heavy neutral gauge bosons (Z′) decaying into a pair of tau leptons is performed in proton-proton collisions at √s =13 TeV
at the CERN LHC. The data were collected with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1
. The observations are found to be in agreement with the expectation from standard model processes. Limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the Z′production cross section and its branching fraction to tau lepton pairs for a range of Z′
boson masses. For a narrow resonance in the sequential standard model scenario, a Z′boson with a mass below 3.5 TeV is excluded. This is the most stringent limit to date from this type of search
