Using proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in 2016$-$2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$, the first full reconstruction of the three vector B meson states, B$^{*+}$, B$^{*0}$, and B$^{*0}_\text{s}$, is performed. The mass differences between the excited mesons and their corresponding ground states are measured to be $m(\text{B}^{*+})-m(\text{B}^+)$ = 45.277 $\pm$ 0.039 $\pm$ 0.027 MeV, $m(\text{B}^{*0})- m(\text{B}^0)$ = 45.471 $\pm$ 0.056 $\pm$ 0.028 MeV, and $m(\text{B}^{*0}_\text{s})-m(\text{B}_\text{s})$ = 49.407 $\pm$ 0.132 $\pm$ 0.041 MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. These results improve on the precision of previous measurements by an order of magnitude.
The measured mass differences between vector and ground B meson states.
Extracted masses of $\mathrm{B}^{*+}$, $\mathrm{B}^{*0}$, and $\mathrm{B}^{*0}_{\mathrm{s}}$ mesons. The values are obtained using the measurements in Table 1 and the ground state masses from PDG 2024 (S. Navas et al. (Particle Data Group), Phys. Rev. D 110, 030001 (2024)), which are the source of the last uncertainties.
Extracted mass differences between vector B meson states of different flavour. The values are obtained using the measurements in Table 4 and the ground state mass differences from PDG 2024 (S. Navas et al. (Particle Data Group), Phys. Rev. D 110, 030001 (2024)), which are the source of the last uncertainties.
A search for long-lived particles originating from the decay of b hadrons produced in proton-proton collisions with a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC is presented. The analysis is performed on a data set recorded in 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 41.6 fb$^{-1}$. Interactions of the long-lived particles in the CMS endcap muon system would create hadronic or electromagnetic showers, producing clusters of detector hits. Selected events contain at least one such high-multiplicity cluster in the muon endcaps and require the presence of a displaced muon. The most stringent upper limits to date on the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}$(B $\to$ K$Φ$), where the long-lived particle $Φ$ decays to a pair of hadrons, are obtained for $Φ$ masses of 0.3$-$3.0 GeV and $Φ$ mean proper decay lengths in the range of 1$-$500 cm.
Distributions of the CSC cluster time shown for signal samples with m = 0.3 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 100 mm, m = 1.0 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 300 mm, m = 2.0 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 1000 mm and the background-enriched data.
Distributions of the CSC cluster size $N_{hits}$ shown for signal samples with m = 0.3 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 100 mm, m = 1.0 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 300 mm, m = 2.0 GeV, c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 1000 mm and the background-enriched data.
Distributions of the $\Delta\Phi$ between the CSC cluster and the trigger muon, shown for signal samples with m = 0.3 GeV c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 100 mm, m = 1.0 GeV c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 300 mm, m = 2.0 GeV c$\tau_{\Phi}$ = 1000 mm and the background-enriched data.
A search for flavor violating decays of the Z boson to charged leptons is performed using data from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Each of the decays Z $\to$ e$μ$, Z $\to$ e$τ$, and Z $\to$$μτ$ is considered. The data are consistent with the backgrounds expected from standard model processes. For the Z $\to$ e$μ$ channel the observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction is 1.9 (2.0) $\times$ 10$^{-7}$, which is the most stringent direct limit to date on this process; the corresponding limits for the Z $\to$ e$τ$ and Z $\to$ $μτ$ channels are 13.8 (11.4) $\times$ 10$^{-6}$ and 12.0 (5.3) $\times$ 10$^{-6}$, respectively. Additionally, the e$μ$ final state is used to search for lepton flavor violating decays of Z' resonances in the mass range from 110 to 500 GeV. No significant excess is observed above the predicted background levels.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits on $\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{Z}\rightarrow e\mu)$ for three BDT score bins and their combination, at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV with 138 fb$^{-1}$.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits on $\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{Z}\rightarrow e\tau)$ in the hadronic- and leptonic-$\tau$ decay channels, and for their combination ($\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV, 138 fb$^{-1})$.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits on $\mathcal{B}(\mathrm{Z}\rightarrow \mu\tau)$ in the hadronic- and leptonic-$\tau$ decay channels, and for their combination ($\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV, 138 fb$^{-1}$).
The traditional quark model accounts for the existence of baryons, such as protons and neutrons, which consist of three quarks, as well as mesons, composed of a quark-antiquark pair. Only recently has substantial evidence started to accumulate for exotic states composed of four or five quarks and antiquarks. The exact nature of their internal structure remains uncertain. This paper reports the first measurement of quantum numbers of the recently discovered family of three all-charm tetraquarks, using data collected by the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider from 2016 to 2018. The angular analysis techniques developed for the discovery and characterization of the Higgs boson have been applied to the new exotic states. The quantum numbers for parity $P$ and charge conjugation $C$ symmetries are found to be +1. The spin $J$ of these exotic states is consistent with 2$\hbar$, while 0$\hbar$ and 1$\hbar$ are excluded at 95% and 99% confidence level, respectively. The $J^{PC}=2^{++}$ assignment implies particular configurations of constituent spins and orbital angular momenta, which constrain the possible internal structure of these tetraquarks.
Results from hypothesis test for pairs of spin-parity models.
The $\mathrm{J}/\psi\mathrm{J}/\psi$ invariant mass distribution in data.
Distributions of discriminant for the $2_{m}^{+}$ and $0^{-}$ models.
A reinterpretation of a prior narrow-resonance search is performed to investigate the resonant production of pairs of dijet resonances via broad mediators. This analysis targets events with four resolved jets, requiring dijet invariant masses greater than 0.2 TeV and four-jet invariant masses greater than 1.6 TeV. The search uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The reinterpretation considers the production of new heavy four-jet resonances, with widths ranging from 1.5 to 10% of their mass, which decay to a pair of dijet resonances. This analysis probes resonant production in the four-jet and dijet mass distributions. Upper limits at 95% confidence level and significances are reported on the production cross section of new resonances as functions of their widths and masses, between 2 and 10 TeV. In particular, at a four-jet resonance mass of 8.6 TeV, the local (global) significance ranges from 3.9 (1.6) to 3.6 (1.4) standard deviations (s.d.) as the resonance width is increased from 1.5 to 10%. This relative insensitivity to the choice of width indicates that a broad resonance is an equally valid interpretation of this excess. The broad resonance hypothesis at a resonance mass of 8.6 TeV is supported by the presence of an event with a four-jet mass of 5.8 TeV and an average dijet mass of 2.0 TeV. Also, we report the reinterpretation of a second effect, at a four-jet resonance mass of 3.6 TeV, which has a local (global) significance of up to 3.9 (2.2) s.d.
Observed number of events within bins of the four-jet mass and the average mass of the two dijets.
Observed number of events within bins of the four-jet mass and the ratio $\alpha$, which is the average dijet mass divided by the four-jet mass.
Predictions of a leading order (LO) QCD simulation, normalized to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The number of events are examined within bins of the four-jet mass and the average mass of the two dijets.
This paper presents a search for a Higgs boson produced in association with a charm quark (cH) which allows to probe the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling strength modifier $κ_\mathrm{c}$. Higgs boson decays to a pair of W bosons are considered, where one W boson decays to an electron and a neutrino, and the other \PW boson decays to a muon and a neutrino. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$, were collected between 2016 and 2018 with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level (CL) are set on the ratio of the measured yield to the standard model expectation for cH production. The observed (expected) upper limit is 1065 (506). When combined with the previous search for cH in the diphoton decay channel of the Higgs boson, the limits are interpreted as observed (expected) constraints at 95% CL on the value of $κ_\mathrm{c}$, $\lvertκ_\mathrm{c}\rvert$ $\lt$ 47 (51).
Upper limits of $\mu_{cH}$ at 95%CL for each data-taking period.
Two-dimensional likelihood contour of $\mu_{bkg-H+c}$ and $\mu_{cH}$.
Upper limits of $\mu_{cH}$ at 95% CL of the combined analysis
A measurement is presented of the cross section in proton-proton collisions for the production of two W bosons and one Z boson. It is based on data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC at center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 and 13.6 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 200 fb$^{-1}$. Events with four charged leptons (electrons or muons) in the final state are selected. Both nonresonant WWZ production and ZH production, with the Higgs boson decaying into two W bosons, are reported. For the first time, the two processes are measured separately in a simultaneous fit. Combining the two modes, signal strengths relative to the standard model (SM) predictions of 0.75 $^{+0.34}_{-0.29}$ and 1.74 $^{+0.71}_{-0.60}$ are measured for $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 and 13.6 TeV, respectively. The observed (expected) significance for the triboson signal is 3.8 (2.5) standard deviations for $\sqrt{s}$ = 13.6 TeV, thus providing the first evidence for triboson production at this center-of-mass energy. Combining the two modes and the two center-of-mass energies, the inclusive signal strength relative to the SM prediction is measured to be 1.03 $^{+0.31}_{-0.28}$, with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (5.0) standard deviations.
Comparison of the observed number of events to the SM-predicted number of events for each of the bins included in the fit for Run 2 (upper row) and Run 3 (lower row). The SM expectations are shown before performing the fit. The horizontal axis legend also indicates "WWZ-like" and "ZH-like" bins defined based on whether the WWZ BDT score is higher or lower than the ZH score.
A model-independent measurement of the differential production cross section of the Higgs boson decaying into a pair of W bosons, with a final state including two jets produced in association, is presented. In the analysis, events are selected in which the decay products of the two W bosons consist of an electron, a muon, and missing transverse momentum. The model independence of the measurement is maximized by making use of a discriminating variable that is agnostic to the signal hypothesis developed through machine learning. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector from 2012$-$2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The production cross section is measured as a function of the difference in azimuthal angle between the two jets. The differential cross section measurements are used to constrain Higgs boson couplings within the standard model effective field theory framework.
Measured fiducial cross section summing VBF and ggF production modes.
Measured fiducial cross section of VBF and ggF production modes.
Measured fiducial cross section of VBF and ggF production modes.
An analysis of the flavour structure of dimension-6 effective field theory (EFT) operators in multilepton final states is presented, focusing on the interactions involving Z bosons. For the first time, the flavour structure of these operators is disentangled by simultaneously probing the interactions with different quark generations. The analysis targets the associated production of a top quark pair and a Z boson, as well as diboson processes in final states with at least three leptons, which can be electrons or muons. The data were recorded by the CMS experiment in the years 2016$-$2018 in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Consistency with the standard model of particle physics is observed and limits are set on the selected Wilson coefficients, split into couplings to light- and heavy-quark generations.
Summary of the limits obtained for the Wilson coefficients.
Likelihood scan of cHqMRe1122 versus cHqMRe33. Other Wilson coefficients are fixed to zero.
Likelihood scan of cHq3MRe1122 versus cHq3MRe33. Other Wilson coefficients are fixed to zero.
At hadron colliders, the net transverse momentum of particles that do not interact with the detector (missing transverse momentum, $\vec{p}_\mathrm{T}^\text{miss}$) is a crucial observable in many analyses. In the standard model, $\vec{p}_\mathrm{T}^\text{miss}$ originates from neutrinos. Many beyond-the-standard-model particles, such as dark matter candidates, are also expected to leave the experimental apparatus undetected. This paper presents a novel $\vec{p}_\mathrm{T}^\text{miss}$ estimator, DeepMET, which is based on deep neural networks that were developed by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC. The DeepMET algorithm produces a weight for each reconstructed particle based on its properties. The estimator is based on the negative vector sum of the weighted transverse momenta of all reconstructed particles in an event. Compared with other estimators currently employed by CMS, DeepMET improves the $\vec{p}_\mathrm{T}^\text{miss}$ resolution by 10$-$30%, shows improvement for a wide range of final states, is easier to train, and is more resilient against the effects of additional proton-proton interactions accompanying the collision of interest.
Recoil responses of different $\vec{p}^\mathrm{miss}_\mathrm{T}$ estimators in data and MC simulations after the $Z\to\mu\mu$ selections, as a function of $q_T$.
Response-corrected resolutions of $u_{\parallel}$ vs $q_T$ of different $\vec{p_{T}^{miss}}$ estimators in data after the $Z\to\mu\mu$ selections, as a function of $q_T$.
Response-corrected resolutions of $u_{\perp}$ vs $q_T$ of different $\vec{p_{T}^{miss}}$ estimators in data after the $Z\to\mu\mu$ selections, as a function of $q_T$.