Single-Top Quark Search Results with Early ATLAS Data

We present the first studies using ATLAS data to investigate the single-top quark t-channel production at the LHC. The data were collected from proton-proton collisions occurring at 7 TeV center-of-mass energy. Selections based on the kinematical signature of the single-top quark process in simulated events are used to isolate the signal while removing background events in data. To distinguish this process from others such as the $t\bar{t}$ process, W+jets and QCD, we require an energetic final state including two jets, one of which must be tagged as a b-jet, one lepton, and missing energy. We report the results of this preliminary study and discuss the implications for future analyses.