A standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) analysis with dimension-six operators probing nonresonant new physics effects is performed in the Higgs-strahlung process, where the Higgs boson is produced in association with a W or Z boson, in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The final states in which the W or Z boson decays leptonically and the Higgs boson decays to a pair of bottom quarks are considered. The analyzed data were collected by the CMS experiment between 2016 and 2018 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. An approach designed to simultaneously optimize the sensitivity to Wilson coefficients of multiple SMEFT operators is employed. Likelihood scans as functions of the Wilson coefficients that carry SMEFT sensitivity in this final state are performed for different expansions in SMEFT. The results are consistent with the predictions of the standard model.
Summary of results in terms of best fit value of the Wilson coefficients and the intervals where the test statistic is below 1 and 4, with up to the linear and quadratic terms in the SMEFT parameterization.
Profiled limits on the energy scale $\Lambda$ for three different assumptions for each Wilson coefficient while fixing the other Wilson coefficients to their SM values with up to the linear and quadratic terms in SMEFT parameterization.
Observed two-dimensional likelihood scans for $c_{Hq}^{(1)}$ vs. $c_{Hq}^{(3)}$ while allowing the other coefficients to float freely at each point of the sca.
A data sample containing top quark pairs ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$) produced in association with a Lorentz-boosted Z or Higgs boson is used to search for signs of new physics using effective field theory. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions produced at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC and collected by the CMS experiment. Selected events contain a single lepton and hadronic jets, including two identified with the decay of bottom quarks, plus an additional large-radius jet with high transverse momentum identified as a Z or Higgs boson decaying to a bottom quark pair. Machine learning techniques are employed to discriminate between $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$Z or $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H events and events from background processes, which are dominated by $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$ + jets production. No indications of new physics are observed. The signal strengths of boosted $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$Z and $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H production are measured, and upper limits are placed on the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$Z and $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H differential cross sections as functions of the Z or Higgs boson transverse momentum. The effects of new physics are probed using a framework in which the standard model is considered to be the low-energy effective field theory of a higher energy scale theory. Eight possible dimension-six operators are added to the standard model Lagrangian and their corresponding coefficients are constrained via fits to the data.
Negative log-likelihood difference in $\mu_{\text{ttH}}, \mu_{\text{ttZ}}$ for a Z or Higgs boson with a simulated pT $> 200$GeV
Negative log-likelihood difference in $\text{c}_{\text{t}\varphi}$ where the other Wilson coefficients are fixed to 0.
Negative log-likelihood difference in $\text{c}_{\varphi\text{Q}}^{-}$ where the other Wilson coefficients are fixed to 0.