A search for supersymmetric particles produced in the vector boson fusion topology in proton-proton collisions is presented. The search targets final states with one or zero leptons, large missing transverse momentum, and two jets with a large separation in rapidity. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV collected in 2016 with the CMS detector at the LHC. The observed dijet invariant mass and lepton-neutrino transverse mass spectra are found to be consistent with the standard model predictions. Upper limits are set on the cross sections for chargino ($\widetilde\chi_1^\pm$) and neutralino ($\widetilde\chi_2^0$) production with two associated jets. For a compressed mass spectrum scenario in which the $\widetilde\chi_1^\pm$ and $\widetilde\chi_2^0$ decays proceed via a light slepton and the mass difference between the lightest neutralino $\widetilde\chi_1^0$ and the mass-degenerate particles $\widetilde\chi_1^\pm$ and $\widetilde\chi_2^0$ is 1 (30) GeV, the most stringent lower limit to date of 112 (215) GeV is set on the mass of these latter two particles.
Selection efficiency on signal for each channel.
The observed $m_{T}$ and $m_{jj}$ distributions in the ejj (upper left), $\mu$~jj (upper right), $\tau_{h}$~jj (lower left), and $0\ell$~jj (lower right) signal regions compared with the post-fit SM background yields from the fit described in the text. The pre-fit background yields and shapes are determined using data-driven methods for the major backgrounds, and based on simulation for the smaller backgrounds. Expected signal distributions are overlaid. The last bin in the $m_{T}$ distributions of the $1\ell$~jj channels include all events with $m_{T} > 210$~GeV. The last bin of the $m_{jj}$ distributions of the $0\ell$~jj channel include all events with $m_{jj} > 3800$~GeV.
The observed $m_{T}$ and $m_{jj}$ distributions in the ejj (upper left), $\mu$~jj (upper right), $\tau_{h}$~jj (lower left), and $0\ell$~jj (lower right) signal regions compared with the post-fit SM background yields from the fit described in the text. The pre-fit background yields and shapes are determined using data-driven methods for the major backgrounds, and based on simulation for the smaller backgrounds. Expected signal distributions are overlaid. The last bin in the $m_{T}$ distributions of the $1\ell$~jj channels include all events with $m_{T} > 210$~GeV. The last bin of the $m_{jj}$ distributions of the $0\ell$~jj channel include all events with $m_{jj} > 3800$~GeV.