Search for: All records

A bstract The first search for nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs (HH) with one H decaying into four leptons and the other into a pair of b quarks is presented, using proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb − 1 . A 95% confidence level upper limit of 32.4 is set on the signal strength modifier μ , defined as the ratio of the observed HH production rate in the $$ \textrm{HH}\to {\textrm{ZZ}}^{\ast}\textrm{b}\overline{\textrm{b}}\to 4\ell \textrm{b}\overline{\textrm{b}} $$ HH → ZZ ∗ b b ¯ → 4 ℓ b b ¯ decay channel to the standard model (SM) expectation. Possible modifications of the H trilinear coupling λ HHH with respect to the SM value are investigated. The coupling modifier κ λ , defined as λ HHH divided by its SM prediction, is constrained to be within the observed (expected) range − 8 . 8 ( − 9 . 8) < κ λ < 13 . 4 (15 . 0) at 95% confidence level. 

Abstract In July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the CERN Large Hadron Collider announced the observation of a Higgs boson at a mass of around 125 gigaelectronvolts. Ten years later, and with the data corresponding to the production of a 30-times larger number of Higgs bosons, we have learnt much more about the properties of the Higgs boson. The CMS experiment has observed the Higgs boson in numerous fermionic and bosonic decay channels, established its spin–parity quantum numbers, determined its mass and measured its production cross-sections in various modes. Here the CMS Collaboration reports the most up-to-date combination of results on the properties of the Higgs boson, including the most stringent limit on the cross-section for the production of a pair of Higgs bosons, on the basis of data from proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 teraelectronvolts. Within the uncertainties, all these observations are compatible with the predictions of the standard model of elementary particle physics. Much evidence points to the fact that the standard model is a low-energy approximation of a more comprehensive theory. Several of the standard model issues originate in the sector of Higgs boson physics. An order of magnitude larger number of Higgs bosons, expected to be examined over the next 15 years, will help deepen our understanding of this crucial sector. 

A bstract The top quark pair production cross section is measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The data were collected in a special LHC low-energy and low-intensity run in 2017, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 302 pb − 1 . The measurement is performed using events with one electron and one muon of opposite charge, and at least two jets. The measured cross section is 60 . 7 ± 5 . 0 (stat) ± 2 . 8 (syst) ± 1 . 1 (lumi) pb. A combination with the result in the single lepton + jets channel, based on data collected in 2015 at the same center-of-mass energy and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 27.4 pb − 1 , is then performed. The resulting measured value is 63 . 0 ± 4 . 1 (stat) ± 3 . 0 (syst+lumi) pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction of $$ {66.8}_{-3.1}^{+2.9} $$ 66.8 − 3.1 + 2.9 pb. 

A bstract Inclusive and differential cross sections of single top quark production in association with a Z boson are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb − 1 recorded by the CMS experiment. Events are selected based on the presence of three leptons, electrons or muons, associated with leptonic Z boson and top quark decays. The measurement yields an inclusive cross section of $$ {87.9}_{-7.3}^{+7.5}{\left(\mathrm{stat}\right)}_{-6.0}^{+7.3}\left(\mathrm{syst}\right) $$ 87.9 − 7.3 + 7.5 stat − 6.0 + 7.3 syst fb for a dilepton invariant mass greater than 30 GeV, in agreement with standard model (SM) calculations and represents the most precise determination to date. The ratio between the cross sections for the top quark and the top antiquark production in association with a Z boson is measured as $$ {2.37}_{-0.42}^{+0.56}{\left(\mathrm{stat}\right)}_{-0.13}^{+0.27}\left(\mathrm{syst}\right) $$ 2.37 − 0.42 + 0.56 stat − 0.13 + 0.27 syst . Differential measurements at parton and particle levels are performed for the first time. Several kinematic observables are considered to study the modeling of the process. Results are compared to theoretical predictions with different assumptions on the source of the initial-state b quark and found to be in agreement, within the uncertainties. Additionally, the spin asymmetry, which is sensitive to the top quark polarization, is determined from the differential distribution of the polarization angle at parton level to be 0 . 54 ± 0 . 16 (stat) ± 0 . 06 (syst), in agreement with SM predictions. 

Abstract A combination of searches for top squark pair production using proton–proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 $$\,\text {Te}\text {V}$$ Te at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 $$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 collected by the CMS experiment, is presented. Signatures with at least 2 jets and large missing transverse momentum are categorized into events with 0, 1, or 2 leptons. New results for regions of parameter space where the kinematical properties of top squark pair production and top quark pair production are very similar are presented. Depending on the model, the combined result excludes a top squark mass up to 1325 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge for a massless neutralino, and a neutralino mass up to 700 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge for a top squark mass of 1150 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge . Top squarks with masses from 145 to 295 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge , for neutralino masses from 0 to 100 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge , with a mass difference between the top squark and the neutralino in a window of 30 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge around the mass of the top quark, are excluded for the first time with CMS data. The results of theses searches are also interpreted in an alternative signal model of dark matter production via a spin-0 mediator in association with a top quark pair. Upper limits are set on the cross section for mediator particle masses of up to 420 $$\,\text {Ge}\text {V}$$ Ge . 

A bstract Measurements of Higgs boson production cross sections and couplings in events where the Higgs boson decays into a pair of photons are reported. Events are selected from a sample of proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV collected by the CMS detector at the LHC from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb − 1 . Analysis categories enriched in Higgs boson events produced via gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, vector boson associated production, and production associated with top quarks are constructed. The total Higgs boson signal strength, relative to the standard model (SM) prediction, is measured to be 1 . 12±0 . 09. Other properties of the Higgs boson are measured, including SM signal strength modifiers, production cross sections, and its couplings to other particles. These include the most precise measurements of gluon fusion and vector boson fusion Higgs boson production in several different kinematic regions, the first measurement of Higgs boson production in association with a top quark pair in five regions of the Higgs boson transverse momentum, and an upper limit on the rate of Higgs boson production in association with a single top quark. All results are found to be in agreement with the SM expectations. 

A bstract A search for phenomena beyond the standard model in final states with two oppositely charged same-flavor leptons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The search uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb − 1 , collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Three potential signatures of physics beyond the standard model are explored: an excess of events with a lepton pair, whose invariant mass is consistent with the Z boson mass; a kinematic edge in the invariant mass distribution of the lepton pair; and the nonresonant production of two leptons. The observed event yields are consistent with those expected from standard model backgrounds. The results of the first search allow the exclusion of gluino masses up to 1870 GeV, as well as chargino (neutralino) masses up to 750 (800) GeV, while those of the searches for the other two signatures allow the exclusion of light-flavor (bottom) squark masses up to 1800 (1600) GeV and slepton masses up to 700 GeV, respectively, at 95% confidence level within certain supersymmetry scenarios. 

A bstract A search for nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs via gluon-gluon and vector boson fusion processes in final states with two bottom quarks and two photons is presented. The search uses data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb − 1 . No significant deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed. An upper limit at 95% confidence level is set on the product of the Higgs boson pair production cross section and branching fraction into $$ \gamma \gamma \mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}} $$ γγ b b ¯ . The observed (expected) upper limit is determined to be 0.67 (0 . 45) fb, which corresponds to 7.7 (5.2) times the standard model prediction. This search has the highest sensitivity to Higgs boson pair production to date. Assuming all other Higgs boson couplings are equal to their values in the standard model, the observed coupling modifiers of the trilinear Higgs boson self-coupling κ λ and the coupling between a pair of Higgs bosons and a pair of vector bosons c 2V are constrained within the ranges − 3 . 3 < κ λ < 8 . 5 and − 1 . 3 < c 2V < 3 . 5 at 95% confidence level. Constraints on κ λ are also set by combining this analysis with a search for single Higgs bosons decaying to two photons, produced in association with top quark-antiquark pairs, and by performing a simultaneous fit of κ λ and the top quark Yukawa coupling modifier κ t .