The first measurement of the top quark pair ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$) production cross section in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13.6 TeV is presented. Data recorded with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in Summer 2022, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.21 fb$^{-1}$, are analyzed. Events are selected with one or two charged leptons (electrons or muons) and additional jets. A maximum likelihood fit is performed in event categories defined by the number and flavors of the leptons, the number of jets, and the number of jets identified as originating from b quarks. An inclusive $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$ production cross section of 881 $\pm$ 23 (stat+syst) $\pm$ 20 (lumi) pb is measured, in agreement with the standard model prediction of 924 $^{+32}_{-40}$ pb.
Comparison of the number of observed (points) and predicted (filled histograms) events in the final analysis binning. The predictions are shown before fitting the model to the data. The lower panel of the plot displays the ratio of the event yields in data to the sum of predicted signal and background yields. The vertical bars on the points represent the statistical uncertainties in the data, while the hatched bands represent systematic uncertainty in the predictions, excluding the integrated luminosity. No b jet efficiency scale factors are applied in the plot, and no systematic uncertainty entering into the hatched bands is intended to cover thesefactors, which are free parameters in the fit.
Comparison of the number of observed (points) and predicted (filled histograms) events in the final analysis binning. The predictions are shown after fitting the model to the data. The lower panel of each plot displays the ratio of the event yields in data to the sum of predicted signal and background yields. The vertical bars on the points represent the statistical uncertainties in the data, while the hatched bands represent systematic uncertainty in the predictions, excluding the integrated luminosity. The hatched bands are greatly reduced due to additional constraint of the nuisances parameters as well as correlations between them.
Result for the inclusive ttbar production cross section
A search for physics beyond the standard model (SM) in the final state with a hadronically decaying tau lepton and a neutrino is presented. This analysis is based on data recorded by the CMS experiment from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{=1}$. The transverse mass spectrum is analyzed for the presence of new physics. No significant deviation from the SM prediction is observed. Limits are set on the production cross section of a W' boson decaying into a tau lepton and a neutrino. Lower limits are set on the mass of the sequential SM-like heavy charged vector boson and the mass of a quantum black hole. Upper limits are placed on the couplings of a new boson to the SM fermions. Constraints are put on a nonuniversal gauge interaction model and an effective field theory model. For the first time, upper limits on the cross section of $t$-channel leptoquark (LQ) exchange are presented. These limits are translated into exclusion limits on the LQ mass and on its coupling in the $t$-channel. The sensitivity of this analysis extends into the parameter space of LQ models that attempt to explain the anomalies observed in B meson decays. The limits presented for the various interpretations are the most stringent to date. Additionally, a model-independent limit is provided.
The transverse mass distribution of $ au$ leptons and missing transverse momentum observed in the Run-2 data (black dots with statistical uncertainty) as well as the expectation from SM processes (stacked histograms). Different signal hypotheses normalized to 10 fb$^{-1}$ are illustrated as dashed lines for exemplary SSM W$\prime$ boson, QBH and EFT signal hypotheses. The ratios of the background-subtracted data yields to the expected background yields are presented in the lower panel. The combined statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background are represented by the grey shaded band in the ratio panel.
Bayesian upper exclusion limits at 95% CL on the product of the cross section and branching fraction of a W$\prime$ boson decaying to a $\tau$ lepton and a neutrino in the SSM model. For this model, W$\prime$ boson masses of up to 4.8 TeV can be excluded. The limit is given by the intersection of the observed (solid) limit and the theoretical cross section (blue dotted curve). The 68 and 95% quantiles of the limits are represented by the green and yellow bands, respectively. The $\sigma \mathcal{B}$ for an SSM W' boson, along with its associated uncertainty, calculated at NNLO precision in QCD is shown.
Bayesian 95% CL model-independent upper limit on the product of signal cross sections and branching fraction for the $\tau+\nu$ decay for a back-to-back $\tau$ lepton plus $p_{T}^{miss}$ topology. To calculate this limit, all events for signal, background, and data are summed starting from a minimum $m_{T}$ threshold and then divided by the total number of events. No assumption on signal shape is included in this limit. The expected (dashed line) and observed (solid line) limits are shown as well as the 68% and 95% CL uncertainty bands (green and yellow, respectively).
A search for supersymmetry is presented in events with a single charged lepton, electron or muon, and multiple hadronic jets. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC. The search targets gluino pair production, where the gluinos decay into final states with the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and either a top quark-antiquark ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$) pair, or a light-flavor quark-antiquark ($\mathrm{q\bar{q}}$) pair and a virtual or on-shell W boson. The main backgrounds, $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$ pair and W+jets production, are suppressed by requirements on the azimuthal angle between the momenta of the lepton and of its reconstructed parent W boson candidate, and by top quark and W boson identification based on a machine-learning technique. The number of observed events is consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. Limits are evaluated on supersymmetric particle masses in the context of two simplified models of gluino pair production. Exclusions for gluino masses reach up to 2120 (2050) GeV at 95% confidence level for a model with gluino decay to a $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$ pair (a $\mathrm{q\bar{q}}$ pair and a W boson) and the LSP. For the same models, limits on the mass of the LSP reach up to 1250 (1070) GeV.
Signal and background distributions of the $\Delta \phi$ variable, as predicted by simulation, for the multi-b analysis, requiring $n_{\textrm{jet}}\geq6$, $L_T>250~\mathrm{GeV}$, $H_T>500~\mathrm{GeV}$. The predicted signal distributions are also shown for two representative combinations of (gluino, neutralino) masses with large (2.2, 0.1) $\mathrm{TeV}$ and small (1.8, 1.3) $\mathrm{TeV}$ mass differences.
Signal and background distributions of the $\Delta \phi$ variable, as predicted by simulation, for the zero-b analysis, requiring $n_{\textrm{jet}}\geq6$, $L_T>350~\mathrm{GeV}$, $H_T>750~\mathrm{GeV}$. The predicted signal distributions are also shown for two representative combinations of (gluino, neutralino) masses with large (2.2, 0.1) $\mathrm{TeV}$ and small (1.8, 1.3) $\mathrm{TeV}$ mass differences.
Distributions of $\Delta\phi$ as obtained from simulation, requiring various $\textrm{t}$ tag multiplicities for the total background.
A search is presented for vector-like T and B quark-antiquark pairs produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Data were collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2016-2018, with an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Events are separated into single-lepton, same-sign charge dilepton, and multilepton channels. In the analysis of the single-lepton channel a multilayer neural network and jet identification techniques are employed to select signal events, while the same-sign dilepton and multilepton channels rely on the high-energy signature of the signal to distinguish it from standard model backgrounds. The data are consistent with standard model background predictions, and the production of vector-like quark pairs is excluded at 95% confidence level for T quark masses up to 1.54 TeV and B quark masses up to 1.56 TeV, depending on the branching fractions assumed, with maximal sensitivity to decay modes that include multiple top quarks. The limits obtained in this search are the strongest limits to date for $\mathrm{T\overline{T}}$ production, excluding masses below 1.48 TeV for all decays to third generation quarks, and are the strongest limits to date for $\mathrm{B\overline{B}}$ production with B quark decays to tW.
Distribution of ST in the training region for the $T\overline{T}$ MLP. The observed data are shown along with the predicted $T\overline{T}$ signal with mass of 1.2 (1.5) TeV in the singlet scenario and the background. Statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction before performing the fit to data are also shown. The signal predictions of 1.2 TeV and 1.5 TeV signals have been scaled by factors of x300 and x600, respectively, for visibility.
Distribution of the leading jet’s DEEPAK8 light quark or gluon score in the training region for the $T\overline{T}$ MLP. The observed data are shown along with the predicted $T\overline{T}$ signal with mass of 1.2 (1.5) TeV in the singlet scenario and the background. Statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction before performing the fit to data are also shown. The signal predictions of 1.2 TeV and 1.5 TeV signals have been scaled by factors of x300 and x600, respectively, for visibility.
Distribution of the MLP T quark score in the SR for the $T\overline{T}$ search. The observed data, predicted $T\overline{T}$ signal with mass of 1.2 (1.5) TeV in the singlet scenario, and the background are all shown. Statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction before performing the fit to data are also shown. The signal predictions of 1.2 TeV and 1.5 TeV signals have been scaled by factors of x10 and x20, respectively, for visibility.
The production of a top quark-antiquark pair in association with a W boson ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$W) is measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The analyzed data was recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Events with two or three leptons (electrons and muons) and additional jets are selected. In events with two leptons, a multiclass neural network is used to distinguish between the signal and background processes. Events with three leptons are categorized based on the number of jets and of jets originating from b quark hadronization, and the lepton charges. The inclusive $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$W production cross section in the full phase space is measured to be 868 $\pm$ 40 (stat) $\pm$ 51 (syst) fb. The $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$W$^+$ and $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$W$^-$ cross sections are also measured as 553 $\pm$ 30 (stat) $\pm$ 30 (syst) and 343 $\pm$ 26 (stat) $\pm$ 25 (syst) fb, respectively, and the corresponding ratio of the two cross sections is found to be 1.61 $\pm$ 0.15 (stat) $^{+0.07}_{-0.05}$ (syst). The measured cross sections are larger than but consistent with the standard model predictions within two standard deviations, and represent the most precise measurement of these cross sections to date.
Distribution of the leading lepton transverse momemtum, prefit.
Distribution of the leading lepton transverse momemtum, prefit.
Distribution of the subleading lepton transverse momemtum, prefit.
The results of a search for Higgs boson pair (HH) production in the WW*WW*, WW*$\tau\tau$, and $\tau\tau\tau\tau$ decay modes are presented. The search uses 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV from 2016 to 2018. Analyzed events contain two, three, or four reconstructed leptons, including electrons, muons, and hadronically decaying tau leptons. No evidence for a signal is found in the data. Upper limits are set on the cross section for nonresonant HH production, as well as resonant production in which a new heavy particle decays to a pair of Higgs bosons. For nonresonant production, the observed (expected) upper limit on the cross section at 95% confidence level (CL) is 21.3 (19.4) times the standard model (SM) prediction. The observed (expected) ratio of the trilinear Higgs boson self-coupling to its value in the SM is constrained to be within the interval $-$6.9 to 11.1 ($-$6.9 to 11.7) at 95% CL, and limits are set on a variety of new-physics models using an effective field theory approach. The observed (expected) limits on the cross section for resonant HH production range from 0.18 to 0.90 (0.08 to 1.06) pb at 95% CL for new heavy-particle masses in the range 250-1000 GeV.
Distribution of an input to the BDT classifier in the $2\ell$(ss) category: The scalar $p_{T}$ sum, denoted as $H_{T}$, of the two reconstructed $\ell$ and all small-radius jets.
Distribution of an input to the BDT classifier in the $2\ell$(ss) category: The angular separation $\Delta R$ between the two $\ell$.
Distribution of an input to the BDT classifier in the $3\ell$ category: The angular separation between $\ell_{3}$ and the nearest small-radius jet (j). The $\ell_{3}$ in is defined as the $\ell$ that is not part of the opposite-sign $\ell\ell$ pair of lowest mass.
An inclusive search for long-lived exotic particles decaying to a pair of muons is presented. The search uses data collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in 2016 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 97.6 fb$^{-1}$. The experimental signature is a pair of oppositely charged muons originating from a common secondary vertex spatially separated from the pp interaction point by distances ranging from several hundred $\mu$m to several meters. The results are interpreted in the frameworks of the hidden Abelian Higgs model, in which the Higgs boson decays to a pair of long-lived dark photons Z$_\mathrm{D}$, and of a simplified model, in which long-lived particles are produced in decays of an exotic heavy neutral scalar boson. For the hidden Abelian Higgs model with $m_\mathrm{Z_D}$ greater than 20 GeV and less than half the mass of the Higgs boson, they provide the best limits to date on the branching fraction of the Higgs boson to dark photons for $c\tau$(Z$_\mathrm{D}$) (varying with $m_\mathrm{Z_D}$) between 0.03 and ${\approx}$ 0.5 mm, and above ${\approx}$ 0.5 m. Our results also yield the best constraints on long-lived particles with masses larger than 10 GeV produced in decays of an exotic scalar boson heavier than the Higgs boson and decaying to a pair of muons.
Level-1 muon trigger efficiency in cosmic-ray muon data (blue) and signal simulation (red) as a function of $d_0$, for the Level-1 trigger $p_T$ threshold used in the 2016 analysis triggers. The denominator in the efficiency calculation is the number of STA muons with $|\eta| < 1.2$ and $p_T > 33$ GeV.
Level-1 muon trigger efficiency in cosmic-ray muon data (blue) and signal simulation (red) as a function of $d_0$, for the Level-1 trigger $p_T$ threshold used in the 2016 analysis triggers. The denominator in the efficiency calculation is the number of STA muons with $|\eta| < 1.2$ and $p_T > 33$ GeV.
Level-1 muon trigger efficiency in cosmic-ray muon data (blue) and signal simulation (red) as a function of $d_0$, for the Level-1 trigger $p_T$ threshold used in the 2018 analysis triggers. The denominator in the efficiency calculation is the number of STA muons with $|\eta| < 1.2$ and $p_T > 28$ GeV.
A search is reported for heavy resonances and quantum black holes decaying into e$\mu$, e$\tau$, and $\mu\tau$ final states in proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC during 2016-2018 at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The e$\mu$, e$\tau$, and $\mu\tau$ invariant mass spectra are reconstructed, and no evidence is found for physics beyond the standard model. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for lepton flavor violating signals. Three benchmark signals are studied: resonant $\tau$ sneutrino production in $R$ parity violating supersymmetric models, heavy Z' gauge bosons with lepton flavor violating decays, and nonresonant quantum black hole production in models with extra spatial dimensions. Resonant $\tau$ sneutrinos are excluded for masses up to 4.2 TeV in the e$\mu$ channel, 3.7 TeV in the e$\tau$ channel, and 3.6 TeV in the $\mu\tau$ channel. A Z' boson with lepton flavor violating couplings is excluded up to a mass of 5.0 TeV in the e$\mu$ channel, up to 4.3 TeV in the e$\tau$ channel, and up to 4.1 TeV in the $\mu\tau$ channel. Quantum black holes in the benchmark model are excluded up to the threshold mass of 5.6 TeV in the e$\mu$ channel, 5.2 TeV in the e$\tau$ channel, and 5.0 TeV in the $\mu\tau$ channel. In addition, model-independent limits are extracted to allow comparisons with other models for the same final states and similar event selection requirements. The results of these searches provide the most stringent limits available from collider experiments for heavy particles that undergo lepton flavor violating decays.
Mass distributions for the e$\mu$ channel. In addition to the observed data (black points) and SM prediction (filled histograms), expected signal distributions for three models are shown: the RPV SUSY model with $\lambda = \lambda' = 0.01$ and $\tau$ sneutrino mass of 1.6 TeV, a Z′ boson ($\mathcal{B}=0.1$) with a mass of 1.6 TeV , and the QBH signal expectation for $n=4$ and a threshold mass of 1.6 TeV. The bin width gradually increases with mass.
Mass distributions for the e$\tau$ channel. In addition to the observed data (black points) and SM prediction (filled histograms), expected signal distributions for three models are shown: the RPV SUSY model with $\lambda = \lambda' = 0.01$ and $\tau$ sneutrino mass of 1.6 TeV, a Z′ boson ($\mathcal{B}=0.1$) with a mass of 1.6 TeV , and the QBH signal expectation for $n=4$ and a threshold mass of 1.6 TeV. The bin width gradually increases with mass.
Mass distributions for the $\mu\tau$ channel. In addition to the observed data (black points) and SM prediction (filled histograms), expected signal distributions for three models are shown: the RPV SUSY model with $\lambda = \lambda' = 0.01$ and $\tau$ sneutrino mass of 1.6 TeV, a Z′ boson ($\mathcal{B}=0.1$) with a mass of 1.6 TeV , and the QBH signal expectation for $n=4$ and a threshold mass of 1.6 TeV. The bin width gradually increases with mass.
Results are presented from a search for the Higgs boson decay H $\to$ Z$\gamma$, where Z $\to$$\ell^+\ell^-$ with $\ell$ = e or $\mu$. The search is performed using a sample of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Events are assigned to mutually exclusive categories, which exploit differences in both event topology and kinematics of distinct Higgs production mechanisms to enhance signal sensitivity. The signal strength $\mu$, defined as the product of the cross section and the branching fraction [$\sigma($pp $\to$ H$)\mathcal{B}($H $\to$ Z$\gamma)$] relative to the standard model prediction, is extracted from a simultaneous fit to the $\ell^+\ell^-\gamma$ invariant mass distributions in all categories and is found to be $\mu$ = 2.4 $\pm$ 0.9 for a Higgs boson mass of 125.38 GeV. The statistical significance of the observed excess of events is 2.7 standard deviations. This measurement corresponds to $\sigma($pp $\to$ H$)\mathcal{B}($H $\to$ Z$\gamma)$ = 0.21 $\pm$ 0.08 pb. The observed (expected) upper limit at 95% confidence level on $\mu$ is 4.1 (1.8). The ratio of branching fractions $\mathcal{B}($H $\to$ Z$\gamma) / \mathcal{B}($H $\to$ $\gamma\gamma)$ is measured to be 1.5 $^{+0.7}_{-0.6}$, which agrees with the standard model prediction of 0.69 $\pm$ 0.04 at the 1.5 standard deviation level.
The $\mathcal{D}_{\mathrm{VBF}}$ distributions for signal, simulated background, and data. The $\mathcal{D}_{\mathrm{VBF}}$ distribution includes only dijet-tagged events. The sum of contributions from all signal production mechanisms is shown by the blue line, while the contribution from only the VBF mechanism is shown by the red line. The uncertainty band incorporates all statistical and systematic uncertainties in the expected background. The dashed lines indicate the boundaries for dijet-tagged categories.
The $\mathcal{D}_{\mathrm{kin}}$ distributions for signal, simulated background, and data. The $\mathcal{D}_{\mathrm{kin}}$ distribution includes only untagged events. The sum of contributions from all signal production mechanisms is shown by the blue line. The uncertainty band incorporates all statistical and systematic uncertainties in the expected background. The dashed lines indicate the boundaries for untagged categories. The gray shaded region in the $\mathcal{D}_{\mathrm{kin}}$ distribution is excluded from the analysis.
Fits to the $m_{\ell^+\ell^-\gamma}$ data distribution in the lepton-tagged categories. In the upper panel, the red solid line shows the result of a signal-plus-background fit to the given category. The red dashed line shows the background component of the fit. The green and yellow bands represent the 68 and 95% CL uncertainties in the fit. Also plotted is the expected SM signal, scaled by a factor of 10. In the lower panel, the data minus the background component of the fit is shown.
A search is presented for a heavy W' boson resonance decaying to a B or T vector-like quark and a t or a b quark, respectively. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collisions collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Both decay channels result in a signature with a t quark, a Higgs or Z boson, and a b quark, each produced with a significant Lorentz boost. The all-hadronic decays of the Higgs or Z boson and of the t quark are selected using jet substructure techniques to reduce standard model backgrounds, resulting in a distinct three-jet W' boson decay signature. No significant deviation in data with respect to the standard model background prediction is observed. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the product of the W' boson cross section and the final state branching fraction. A W' boson with a mass below 3.1 TeV is excluded, given the benchmark model assumption of democratic branching fractions. In addition, limits are set based on generalizations of these assumptions. These are the most sensitive limits to date for this final state.
Reconstructed W′ boson mass distributions in the tHb signal region.
Reconstructed W′ boson mass distributions in the tZb signal region.
The W' boson 95% CL limits on the product of cross section and branching fraction. The expected and observed limits are shown for the center VLQ mass range.
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