Supersymmetry search using $Z^0$ bosons produced in neutralino decays at the ATLAS detector

This thesis discusses the prospects for discovery of supersymmetry by searching for the decay $\tilde\chi_2^0 \to Z^0\tilde\chi_1^0 \to \mu^+\mu^-\tilde\chi_1^0$ in the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA). In this decay channel the next to lightest neutral supersymmetric particle (neutralino) decays into the lightest neutralino and a Standard Model $Z$ boson, this $Z$ boson in turn decays into two muons. The results presented are based on a Monte Carlo simulation study performed using the equivalent of $2\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of collected data at a center of mass energy of 10 TeV.