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A bstract A search for the exotic decay of the Higgs boson to a pair of light pseudoscalars, each of which subsequently decays into a pair of photons, is presented. The search uses data from proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 132 fb − 1 . The analysis probes pseudoscalar bosons with masses in the range 15–62 GeV, coming from the Higgs boson decay, which leads to four well-isolated photons in the final state. No significant deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the Higgs boson production cross section and branching fraction into four photons. The observed (expected) limits range from 0.80 (1.00) fb for a pseudoscalar boson mass of 15 GeV to 0.26 (0.24) fb for a mass of 62 GeV at 95% confidence level. 

A bstract Measurements are presented of differential cross sections for the production of Z bosons in association with at least one jet initiated by a charm quark in pp collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV. The data recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb − 1 . The final states contain a pair of electrons or muons that are the decay products of a Z boson, and a jet consistent with being initiated by a charm quark produced in the hard interaction. Differential cross sections as a function of the transverse momentum p T of the Z boson and p T of the charm jet are compared with predictions from Monte Carlo event generators. The inclusive production cross section 405 . 4 ± 5 . 6 (stat) ± 24 . 3 (exp) ± 3 . 7 (theo) pb, is measured in a fiducial region requiring both leptons to have pseudorapidity |η| < 2 . 4 and p T > 10 GeV, at least one lepton with p T > 26 GeV, and a mass of the pair in the range 71–111 GeV, while the charm jet is required to have p T > 30 GeV and |η| < 2 . 4. These are the first measurements of these cross sections in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV. 

Abstract The production of Z boson pairs in proton–proton ( $${\mathrm{p}} {\mathrm{p}} $$ p p ) collisions, $${{\mathrm{p}} {\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow ({\mathrm{Z}}/\gamma ^*)({\mathrm{Z}}/\gamma ^*) \rightarrow 2\ell 2\ell '}$$ p p → ( Z / γ ∗ ) ( Z / γ ∗ ) → 2 ℓ 2 ℓ ′ , where $${\ell ,\ell ' = {\mathrm{e}}}$$ ℓ , ℓ ′ = e or $${{\upmu }}$$ μ , is studied at a center-of-mass energy of 13 $$\,\text {TeV}$$ TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 137 $$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 , collected during 2016–2018. The $${\mathrm{Z}} {\mathrm{Z}} $$ Z Z production cross section, $$\sigma _{\text {tot}} ({\mathrm{p}} {\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow {\mathrm{Z}} {\mathrm{Z}} ) = 17.4 \pm 0.3 \,\text {(stat)} \pm 0.5 \,\text {(syst)} \pm 0.4 \,\text {(theo)} \pm 0.3 \,\text {(lumi)} \text { pb} $$ σ tot ( p p → Z Z ) = 17.4 ± 0.3 (stat) ± 0.5 (syst) ± 0.4 (theo) ± 0.3 (lumi) pb , measured for events with two pairs of opposite-sign, same-flavor leptons produced in the mass region $${60< m_{\ell ^+\ell ^-} < 120\,\text {GeV}}$$ 60 < m ℓ + ℓ - < 120 GeV is consistent with standard model predictions. Differential cross sections are also measured and agree with theoretical predictions. The invariant mass distribution of the four-lepton system is used to set limits on anomalous $${\mathrm{Z}} {\mathrm{Z}} {\mathrm{Z}} $$ Z Z Z and $${{\mathrm{Z}} {\mathrm{Z}} \gamma }$$ Z Z γ couplings. 

Abstract A search for dark matter particles is performed using events with a Z boson candidate and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on proton–proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 $$\,\text {Te}\text {V}$$ Te , collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016–2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 $$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 . The search uses the decay channels $${\mathrm{Z}} \rightarrow {\mathrm{e}} {\mathrm{e}} $$ Z → e e and $${\mathrm{Z}} \rightarrow {{\upmu }{}{}} {{\upmu }{}{}} $$ Z → μ μ . No significant excess of events is observed over the background expected from the standard model. Limits are set on dark matter particle production in the context of simplified models with vector, axial-vector, scalar, and pseudoscalar mediators, as well as on a two-Higgs-doublet model with an additional pseudoscalar mediator. In addition, limits are provided for spin-dependent and spin-independent scattering cross sections and are compared to those from direct-detection experiments. The results are also interpreted in the context of models of invisible Higgs boson decays, unparticles, and large extra dimensions.