Searches for pair production of third generation squarks with the ATLAS detector

Naturalness arguments for weak-scale supersymmetry favour supersymmetric partners of the third generation quarks with masses not too far from those of their Standard Model counterparts. Real and virtual production of third generation squarks via decay of a gluino can be significant if the mass of the gluino does not exceed the TeV scale. Scalar top or bottom quarks with masses less than a few hundred GeV can also give rise to direct pair production rates at the LHC that can be observed in the data sample recorded by the ATLAS detector. The talk presents recent ATLAS results from searches for gluino mediated and direct stop and sbottom pair production.