A search for invisible decays of Higgs bosons is performed using the vector boson fusion and associated ZH production modes. In the ZH mode, the Z boson is required to decay to a pair of charged leptons or a $b\bar{b}$ quark pair. The searches use the 8 TeV pp collision dataset collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of up to 19.7 inverse femtobarns. Certain channels include data from 7 TeV collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns. The searches are sensitive to non-standard-model invisible decays of the recently observed Higgs boson, as well as additional Higgs bosons with similar production modes and large invisible branching fractions. In all channels, the observed data are consistent with the expected standard model backgrounds. Limits are set on the production cross section times invisible branching fraction, as a function of the Higgs boson mass, for the vector boson fusion and ZH production modes. By combining all channels, and assuming standard model Higgs boson cross sections and acceptances, the observed (expected) upper limit on the invisible branching fraction at $m_H$=125 GeV is found to be 0.58 (0.44) at 95% confidence level. We interpret this limit in terms of a Higgs-portal model of dark matter interactions.
Summary of 95% CL upper limits on SIG*BR(HIGGS --> INVISIBLE)/SIG(SM) obtained from the VBF search, the combined ZH searches, and the combination of all three searches.
Measurements are reported of the WZ and ZZ production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV in final states where one Z boson decays to b-tagged jets. The other gauge boson, either W or Z, is detected through its leptonic decay (either $W \to e\nu, \mu\nu$ or $Z \to e^+ e^-, \mu^+ \mu^-$, or $\nu\bar{\nu})$. The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 inverse-femtobarns collected with the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured cross sections, $\sigma(pp \to WZ)$ = 30.7 $\pm$ 9.3 (stat.) $\pm$ 7.1 (syst.) $\pm$ 4.1 (th.) $\pm$ 1.0 (lum.) pb and $\sigma(pp \to ZZ)$ = 6.5 $\pm$ 1.7 (stat.) $\pm$ 1.0 (syst.) $\pm$ 0.9 (th.) $\pm$ 0.2 (lum.) pb, are consistent with next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics calculations.
The cross section for inclusive WZ production for the mass range 60 < M(Z) < 120 GeV.
The cross section for inclusive ZZ production for the mass range 60 < M(Z) < 120 GeV.
The cross section for inclusive WZ production in the region defined by 60 < M(Z) < 120 GeV and PT(W) > 100 GeV.
The top-antitop quark (t t-bar) production cross section is measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV with the CMS experiment at the LHC, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.3 inverse femtobarns. The measurement is performed by analysing events with a pair of electrons or muons, or one electron and one muon, and at least two jets, one of which is identified as originating from hadronisation of a bottom quark. The measured cross section is 239 +/- 2 (stat.) +/- 11 (syst.) +/- 6 (lum.) pb, for an assumed top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV, in agreement with the prediction of the standard model.
The total efficiencies etotal, i.e. the products of event acceptance, selection efficiency and branching fraction for the respective TOP TOPBAR final states, as estimated from simulation for a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV, and the measured TOP TOPBAR production cross sections, where the uncertainties are from statistical, systematic and integrated luminosity components, respectively.
The TOP TOPBAR cross section obtained by combining all final states.
A search for new long-lived particles decaying to leptons is presented using proton-proton collisions produced by the LHC at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV. Data used for the analysis were collected by the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. Events are selected with an electron and a muon that have transverse impact parameter values between 0.02 cm and 2 cm. The search has been designed to be sensitive to a wide range of models with nonprompt e-mu final states. Limits are set on the "displaced supersymmetry" model, with pair production of top squarks decaying into an e-mu final state via R-parity-violating interactions. The results are the most restrictive to date on this model, with the most stringent limit being obtained for a top squark lifetime corresponding to c tau = 2 cm, excluding masses below 790 GeV at 95% confidence level.
Electron transverse impact parameter distribution for data and expected background processes after the preselection requirements have been applied. The event yields per bin have been rescaled to account for the varying bin sizes. The rightmost bin contains the overflow entries.
Muon transverse impact parameter distribution for data and expected background processes after the preselection requirements have been applied. The event yields per bin have been rescaled to account for the varying bin sizes. The rightmost contains the overflow entries.
Numbers of expected and observed events in the three search regions (see the text for the definitions of these regions). Background and signal expectations are quoted as $N_{\text{exp}} \pm 1\sigma$ stat $\pm 1\sigma$ syst. If the estimated background is zero in a particular search region, the estimate is instead taken from the preceding region. Since this should always overestimate the background, we denote this by a preceding "<".
A search for resonances and quantum black holes is performed using the dijet mass spectra measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. In a search for narrow resonances that couple to quark-quark, quark-gluon, or gluon-gluon pairs, model-independent upper limits, at 95% confidence level, are obtained on the production cross section of resonances, with masses above 1.2 TeV. When interpreted in the context of specific models the limits exclude: string resonances with masses below 5.0 TeV; excited quarks below 3.5 TeV; scalar diquarks below 4.7 TeV; W' bosons below 1.9 TeV or between 2.0 and 2.2 TeV; Z' bosons below 1.7 TeV; and Randall-Sundrum gravitons below 1.6 TeV. A separate search is conducted for narrow resonances that decay to final states including b quarks. The first exclusion limit is set for excited b quarks, with a lower mass limit between 1.2 and 1.6 TeV depending on their decay properties. Searches are also carried out for wide resonances, assuming for the first time width-to-mass ratios up to 30%, and for quantum black holes with a range of model parameters. The wide resonance search excludes axigluons and colorons with mass below 3.6 TeV, and color-octet scalars with mass below 2.5 TeV. Lower bounds between 5.0 and 6.3 TeV are set on the masses of quantum black holes.
Inclusive dijet mass spectrum from wide jets (points) compared to a fit (solid curve) and to predictions including detector simulation of multijet events and signal resonances. The predicted multijet shape (QCD MC) has been scaled to the data (see text). The vertical error bars are statistical only and the horizontal error bars are the bin widths. For comparison,the signal distributions for a W resonance of mass 1900 GeV and an excited quark of mass 3.6 TeV are shown. The bin-by-bin fit residuals scaled to the statistical uncertainty of the data , (data - fit)/$\sigma_{data}$, are shown at the bottom and compared with the expected signal contributions.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on $\sigma B A$ for narrow qq, qg, and gg resonances, from the inclusive analysis for signal masses between 1.2 and 5.5 TeV.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on $\sigma B A$ for narrow gg/bb, qq/bb, and bg resonances from the b-enriched analysis, for signal masses between 1.2 and 4.0 TeV. The upper limits are given for different ratios $f_{bb}$ for gg/bb and qq/bb resonances, and for 100% branching fraction into bg.
A search for a standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top-quark pair and decaying to bottom quarks is presented. Events with hadronic jets and one or two oppositely charged leptons are selected from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. In order to separate the signal from the larger t t-bar + jets background, this analysis uses a matrix element method that assigns a probability density value to each reconstructed event under signal or background hypotheses. The ratio between the two values is used in a maximum likelihood fit to extract the signal yield. The results are presented in terms of the measured signal strength modifier, mu, relative to the standard model prediction for a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV. The observed (expected) exclusion limit at a 95% confidence level is mu < 4.2 (3.3), corresponding to a best fit value mu-hat = 1.2 +1.6 -1.5.
The best-fit values of the signal strength modifier obtained from the single lepton (SL) and dilepton (DL) channels alone,and from their combination (COMBINED). The observed 95% CL upper limit (UL) on mu are given in the third column, and are compared to the median expected limits for both the signal-plus-background and for the background-only hypotheses. For the latter, the 1sigma and 2sigma CL intervals are also given.
The cross section for the production of Z gamma in proton-proton collisions at 8 TeV is measured based on data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns. Events with an oppositely-charged pair of muons or electrons together with an isolated photon are selected. The differential cross section as a function of the photon transverse momentum is measured inclusively and exclusively, where the exclusive selection applies a veto on central jets. The observed cross sections are compatible with the expectations of next-to-next-to-leading-order quantum chromodynamics. Limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings of Z Z gamma and Z gamma gamma are set that improve on previous experimental results obtained with the charged lepton decay modes of the Z boson.
Inclusive fiducial cross sections in bins of pT(gamma) with statistical, systematic, and luminosity uncertainties, respectivley. Results are not divided by bin-widths. The last bin is the cross section for pT(gamma) > 120 GeV. Combined result of electron and muon channels.
Fiducial cross sections with jet-veto in bins of pT(gamma) with statistical, systematic, and luminosity uncertainties, respectivley. Results are not divided by bin-widths. The last bin is the cross section for pT(gamma) > 120 GeV. Combined result of electron and muon channels.
Ratio of fiducial cross section with jet-veto and the inclusive cross section in bins of pT(gamma). The last bin is the cross section for pT(gamma) > 120 GeV. Combined result of electron and muon channels.
A search is performed for pair-produced spin-3/2 excited top quarks ($t^*\bar{t}^*$), each decaying to a top quark and a gluon. The search uses data collected with the CMS detector from pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV, selecting events that have a single isolated muon or electron, an imbalance in transverse momentum, and at least six jets, of which one must be compatible with originating from the fragmentation of a b quark. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns, show no significant excess over standard model predictions, and provide a lower limit of 803 GeV at 95% confidence on the mass of the spin-3/2 t* quark in an extension of the Randall-Sundrum model, assuming a 100% branching fraction of its decay into a top quark and a gluon. This is the first search for a spin-3/2 excited top quark performed at the LHC.
Kinematic distributions of single l + > 5-jet events in data (points), compared to MC simulation normalized to the number of events observed in data. Shown are pT spectra for muons (a) and electrons (b), and jet spectra for the channels $\mu$+jets (c) and e+jets (d). The reconstructed mtg distribution is shown for the $\mu$+jets channel in (e) and for e+jets in (f).
Kinematic distributions of single l + > 5-jet events in data (points), compared to MC simulation normalized to the number of events observed in data. Shown are pT spectra for muons (a) and electrons (b), and jet spectra for the channels $\mu$+jets (c) and e+jets (d). The reconstructed mtg distribution is shown for the $\mu$+jets channel in (e) and for e+jets in (f).
Kinematic distributions of single l + > 5-jet events in data (points), compared to MC simulation normalized to the number of events observed in data. Shown are pT spectra for muons (a) and electrons (b), and jet spectra for the channels $\mu$+jets (c) and e+jets (d). The reconstructed mtg distribution is shown for the $\mu$+jets channel in (e) and for e+jets in (f).
A measurement of the W boson helicity is presented, where the W boson originates from the decay of a top quark produced in pp collisions. The event selection, optimized for reconstructing a single top quark in the final state, requires exactly one isolated lepton (muon or electron) and exactly two jets, one of which is likely to originate from the hadronization of a bottom quark. The analysis is performed using data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2012. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The measured helicity fractions are F[L] = 0.298 +/- 0.028 (stat) +\- 0.032 (syst), F[0] = 0.720 +/- 0.039 (stat) +/- 0.037 (syst), and F[R] = -0.018 +/- 0.019 (stat) +/- 0.011 (syst). These results are used to set limits on the real part of the tWb anomalous couplings, gL and gR.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in the muon channel. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The statistical correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.90.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in the electron channel. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The statistical correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.90.
Measurement of the W helicity fractions using the cos(theta*l) distribution in both electron and muon channels. The helicity fractions corresponding to the longitudinal (F0) and left-handed (FL) polarizations are extracted from the combined fit while FR is obtained from the constraint of FL+FR+F0 = 1. The total correlation between the fit parameters is about -0.80.
The consistency of the spin correlation strength in top quark pair production with the standard model (SM) prediction is tested in the muon + jets final state. The events are selected from pp collisions, collected by the CMS detector, at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The data are compared with the expectation for the spin correlation predicted by the SM and with the expectation of no correlation. Using a template fit method, the fraction of events that show SM spin correlations is measured to be 0.72 +/- 0.08 (stat) +0.15 -0.13 (syst), representing the most precise measurement of this quantity in the lepton + jets final state to date.
The result of the template fit of distributions for uncorrelated and SM-like correlated ttbar spins.
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