A measurement of the inclusive cross section of top quark pair production in association with a Z boson using proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC is performed. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 77.5 fb$^{-1}$, collected by the CMS experiment during 2016 and 2017. The measurement is performed using final states containing three or four charged leptons (electrons or muons), and the Z boson is detected through its decay to an oppositely charged lepton pair. The production cross section is measured to be $\sigma(\mathrm{t\bar{t}Z})$ $=$ 0.95 $\pm$ 0.05 (stat) $\pm$ 0.06 (syst) pb. For the first time, differential cross sections are measured as functions of the transverse momentum of the Z boson and the angular distribution of the negatively charged lepton from the Z boson decay. The most stringent direct limits to date on the anomalous couplings of the top quark to the Z boson are presented, including constraints on the Wilson coefficients in the framework of the standard model effective field theory.
Measured absolute differential tt̄Z production cross section in the full phase space as a function of the transverse momentum of the Z boson, compared to the predictions obtained with the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO MC simulation, and to the theory prediction at NLO+NNLL accuracy (1905.07815). The distribution $Δσ$ is integrated over the bin, and $\mathrm{d}σ/\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}(\mathrm{Z})$ is additionally divided by the bin width. The last bin includes the overflow contribution, but a finite bin width is used for the normalization.
Measured absolute differential tt̄Z production cross section in the full phase space as a function of the transverse momentum of the Z boson, compared to the predictions obtained with the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO MC simulation, and to the theory prediction at NLO+NNLL accuracy (1905.07815). The distribution $Δσ$ is integrated over the bin, and $\mathrm{d}σ/\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}(\mathrm{Z})$ is additionally divided by the bin width. The last bin includes the overflow contribution, but a finite bin width is used for the normalization.
Measured normalized differential tt̄Z production cross section in the full phase space as a function of the transverse momentum of the Z boson, compared to the predictions obtained with the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO MC simulation, and to the theory prediction at NLO+NNLL accuracy (1905.07815). The distribution $1/σ\,Δσ$ is integrated over the bin, and $1/σ\,\mathrm{d}σ/\mathrm{d}p_{\mathrm{T}}(\mathrm{Z})$ is additionally divided by the bin width. The last bin includes the overflow contribution, but a finite bin width is used for the normalization.
The production cross section of a top quark pair in association with a photon is measured in proton-proton collisions in the decay channel with two oppositely charged leptons (e$^\pm\mu^\mp$, e$^+$e$^-$, or $\mu^+\mu^-$). The measurement is performed using 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV during the 2016-2018 data-taking period of the CERN LHC. A fiducial phase space is defined such that photons radiated by initial-state particles, top quarks, or any of their decay products are included. An inclusive cross section of 175.2 $\pm$ 2.5 (stat) $\pm$ 6.3 (syst) fb is measured in a signal region with at least one jet coming from the hadronization of a bottom quark and exactly one photon with transverse momentum above 20 GeV. Differential cross sections are measured as functions of several kinematic observables of the photon, leptons, and jets, and compared to standard model predictions. The measurements are also interpreted in the standard model effective field theory framework, and limits are found on the relevant Wilson coefficients from these results alone and in combination with a previous CMS measurement of the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}\gamma$ production process using the lepton+jets final state.
Observed and predicted event yields as a function of $p_{T}(\gamma)$ in the $e\mu$ channel, after the fit to the data.
Observed and predicted event yields as a function of $p_{T}(\gamma)$ in the $ee$ channel, after the fit to the data.
Observed and predicted event yields as a function of $p_{T}(\gamma)$ in the $\mu\mu$ channel, after the fit to the data.
A search is reported for high-mass hadronic resonances that decay to a parton and a Lorentz-boosted resonance, which in turn decays into a pair of partons. The search is based on data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The boosted resonance is reconstructed as a single wide jet with substructure consistent with a two-body decay. The high-mass resonance is thus considered as a dijet system. The jet substructure information and the kinematic properties of cascade resonance decays are exploited to disentangle the signal from the large quantum chromodynamics multijet background. The dijet mass spectrum is analyzed for the presence of new high-mass resonances, and is found to be consistent with the standard model background predictions. Results are interpreted in a warped extra dimension model where the high-mass resonance is a Kaluza-Klein gluon, the boosted resonance is a radion, and the final state partons are all gluons. Limits on the production cross section are set as a function of the Kaluza-Klein gluon and radion masses. These limits exclude at 95% confidence level models with Kaluza-Klein gluon masses in the range from 2.0 to 4.3 TeV and radion masses in the range from 0.20 to 0.74 TeV. By exploring a novel experimental signature, the observed limits on the Kaluza-Klein gluon mass are extended by up to about 1 TeV compared to previous searches.
Observed upper limits on the product of signal cross section and branching fraction, as a function of the mass ratio $m(\mathrm{R}_{2}) / m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$ vs. $m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$, for a resonance model with three gluons in the final state. The excluded regions from this search (black hatched) are optimized for the decay of a Kaluza--Klein gluon ($\mathrm{G}_{\mathrm{KK}}$) to a gluon ($\mathrm{g}$) and a radion ($\phi$), which in turns decays to two gluons, leading to a final state with three gluons ($\mathrm{ggg}$). The couplings of the model are set to the values $g_{\mathrm{grav}} = 6.0$ and $g_{\mathrm{GKK}} = 3.0$. These excluded regions are compared with those obtained from a reinterpretation of the inclusive CMS dijet resonance search (JHEP 05 (2020) 033), which is more sensitive to the decay channel of $\mathrm{G}_{\mathrm{KK}}$ to a quark-antiquark pair (red hatched). The vertical band between the $m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$ values of $\sim$3.0 and $\sim$3.1 TeV, for $m(\mathrm{R}_{2}) / m(\mathrm{R}_{1}) \lesssim 0.19$, is not excluded by the dijet search because of an upward statistical fluctuation in the observed limit. The white, dashed lines represent a sample of curves corresponding to fixed $m(\mathrm{R}_{2})$ values.
Observed upper limits on the product of signal cross section and branching fraction, as a function of the mass ratio $m(\mathrm{R}_{2}) / m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$ vs. $m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$, for a resonance model with three gluons in the final state. The excluded regions from this search (black hatched) are optimized for the decay of a Kaluza--Klein gluon ($\mathrm{G}_{\mathrm{KK}}$) to a gluon ($\mathrm{g}$) and a radion ($\phi$), which in turns decays to two gluons, leading to a final state with three gluons ($\mathrm{ggg}$). The couplings of the model are set to the values $g_{\mathrm{grav}} = 6.0$ and $g_{\mathrm{GKK}} = 3.0$. These excluded regions are compared with those obtained from a reinterpretation of the inclusive CMS dijet resonance search (JHEP 05 (2020) 033), which is more sensitive to the decay channel of $\mathrm{G}_{\mathrm{KK}}$ to a quark-antiquark pair (red hatched). The vertical band between the $m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$ values of $\sim$3.0 and $\sim$3.1 TeV, for $m(\mathrm{R}_{2}) / m(\mathrm{R}_{1}) \lesssim 0.19$, is not excluded by the dijet search because of an upward statistical fluctuation in the observed limit. The white, dashed lines represent a sample of curves corresponding to fixed $m(\mathrm{R}_{2})$ values.
Expected 95% CL upper limits on signal cross section times branching fraction, as a function of the ratio $m(\mathrm{R}_{2})/m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$ vs. $m(\mathrm{R}_{1})$, for a trijet resonance model with 3 gluons in the final state. The limits are optimized for the decay of a Kaluza-Klein gluon ($\mathrm{G}_{\mathrm{KK}}$) to a radion ($\phi$) and a gluon ($\mathrm{g}$) where the radion itself decays to 2 gluons, leading to a final state with 3 gluons ($\mathrm{ggg}$).
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.
Measurements of Higgs boson production, where the Higgs boson decays into a pair of $\tau$ leptons, are presented, using a sample of proton-proton collisions collected with the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Three analyses are presented. Two are targeting Higgs boson production via gluon fusion and vector boson fusion: a neural network based analysis and an analysis based on an event categorization optimized on the ratio of signal over background events. These are complemented by an analysis targeting vector boson associated Higgs boson production. Results are presented in the form of signal strengths relative to the standard model predictions and products of cross sections and branching fraction to $\tau$ leptons, in up to 16 different kinematic regions. For the simultaneous measurements of the neural network based analysis and the analysis targeting vector boson associated Higgs boson production signal strengths are found to be 0.82 $\pm$ 0.11 for inclusive Higgs boson production, 0.67 $\pm$ 0.19 (0.81 $\pm$ 0.17) for the production mainly via gluon fusion (vector boson fusion), and 1.79 $\pm$ 0.45 for vector boson associated Higgs boson production.
Measurements of the signal strengths for inclusive H production ($\mu_{\text{incl}}$) and the ggH ($\mu_{\text{ggH}}$), qqH ($\mu_{\text{qqH}}$), and VH ($\mu_{\text{VH}}$) STXS stage-0 processes, for the combination of the NN- and VH-analyses. Central values maximizing the likelihood and a split of uncertainties are provided with each result.
Measurements of the signal strengths for inclusive H production ($\mu_{\text{incl}}$) and the ggH ($\mu_{\text{ggH}}$), qqH ($\mu_{\text{qqH}}$), and VH ($\mu_{\text{VH}}$) STXS stage-0 processes, for the combination of the CB- and VH-analyses. Central values maximizing the likelihood and a split of uncertainties are provided with each result.
Measurements of the signal strengths $\mu_{\text{s}}$ in the STXS stage-1.2 bins for the ggH, qqH, and VH processes, for the combination of the NN- and VH-analyses. Central values and a split of uncertainties are also provided with each result.
A search is presented for heavy bosons decaying to Z($\nu\bar{\nu}$)V(qq'), where V can be a W or a Z boson. A sample of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV was collected by the CMS experiment during 2016-2018. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$. The event categorization is based on the presence of high-momentum jets in the forward region to identify production through weak vector boson fusion. Additional categorization uses jet substructure techniques and the presence of large missing transverse momentum to identify W and Z bosons decaying to quarks and neutrinos, respectively. The dominant standard model backgrounds are estimated using data taken from control regions. The results are interpreted in terms of radion, W' boson, and graviton models, under the assumption that these bosons are produced via gluon-gluon fusion, Drell-Yan, or weak vector boson fusion processes. No evidence is found for physics beyond the standard model. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on various types of hypothetical new bosons. Observed (expected) exclusion limits on the masses of these bosons range from 1.2 to 4.0 (1.1 to 3.7) TeV.
Simulated distributions are shown for the cosine of the decay angle of SM vector bosons in the rest frame of a parent particle with a mass (mX) of 2\TeV. Solid lines represent VBF scenarios. Dashed lines represent ggF/DY scenarios.
Distributions of mT for ggF/DY-produced resonances X of mass 4.5 TeV.
Distributions of mT for VBF-produced resonances X of mass 4.5 TeV.
A search for a heavy resonance decaying into a top quark and a W boson in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV is presented. The data analyzed were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The top quark is reconstructed as a single jet and the W boson, from its decay into an electron or muon and the corresponding neutrino. A top quark tagging technique based on jet clustering with a variable distance parameter and simultaneous jet grooming is used to identify jets from the collimated top quark decay. The results are interpreted in the context of two benchmark models, where the heavy resonance is either an excited bottom quark b$^*$ or a vector-like quark B. A statistical combination with an earlier search by the CMS Collaboration in the all-hadronic final state is performed to place upper cross section limits on these two models. The new analysis extends the lower range of resonance mass probed from 1.4 down to 0.7 TeV. For left-handed, right-handed, and vector-like couplings, b$^*$ masses up to 3.0, 3.0, and 3.2 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, respectively. The observed upper limits represent the most stringent constraints on the b$^*$ model to date.
Distributions of MtW in the 1b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Distributions of MtW in the 2b category. The data are shown by filled markers, where the horizontal bars indicate the bin widths. The individual background contributions are given by filled histograms. The expected signal for a LH b* with mb∗ = 2.4 TeV is shown by a dashed line. The shaded region is the uncertainty in the total background estimate. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to the background estimate, with the total uncertainty on the predicted background displayed as the gray band.
Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction of the b* LH hypothesis at a 95% CL. Dashed colored lines show the expected limits from the l+jets and all-hadronic channels, where the latter start at resonance masses of 1.4 TeV. The observed and expected limits from the combination are shown as solid and dashed black lines, respectively. The green and yellow bands show the 68 and 95% confidence intervals on the combined expected limits.
Production cross sections of the Higgs boson are measured in the H $\to$ ZZ $\to$ $4\ell$ ($\ell$ $=$ e, $\mu$) decay channel. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected by the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$ is used. The signal strength modifier $\mu$, defined as the ratio of the Higgs boson production rate in the $4\ell$ channel to the standard model (SM) expectation, is measured to be $\mu$ $=$ 0.94 $\pm$ 0.07 (stat) ${}^{+0.09}_{-0.08}$ (syst) at a fixed value of $m_H$ = 125.38 GeV. The signal strength modifiers for the individual Higgs boson production modes are also reported. The inclusive fiducial cross section for the H $\to$ $4\ell$ process is measured to be 2.84 $^{+0.23}_{-0.22}$ (stat) ${}^{+0.26}_{-0.21}$ (syst) fb, which is compatible with the SM prediction of 2.84 $\pm$ 0.15 fb for the same fiducial region. Differential cross sections as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity of the Higgs boson, the number of associated jets, and the transverse momentum of the leading associated jet are measured. A new set of cross section measurements in mutually exclusive categories targeted to identify production mechanisms and kinematical features of the events is presented. The results are in agreement with the SM predictions.
Integrated Fiducial Higgs cross section. The first uncertainty is the combined statistical uncertainty, the second is the combined systematic uncertainty. As described in the publication, the fiducial volume for 7 and 8 TeV is different than for 13 TeV.
Integrated Fiducial Higgs cross section. The first uncertainty is the combined statistical uncertainty, the second is the combined systematic uncertainty. As described in the publication, the fiducial volume for 7 and 8 TeV is different than for 13 TeV.
Integrated Fiducial Higgs cross section. The first uncertainty is the combined statistical uncertainty, the second is the combined systematic uncertainty. As described in the publication, the fiducial volume for 7 and 8 TeV is different than for 13 TeV.
Cross sections for the production of a Z boson in association with jets in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 8 TeV are measured using a data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to 19.6 inverse femtobarns. Differential cross sections are presented as functions of up to three observables that describe the jet kinematics and the jet activity. Correlations between the azimuthal directions and the rapidities of the jets and the Z boson are studied in detail. The predictions of a number of multileg generators with leading or next-to-leading order accuracy are compared with the measurements. The comparison shows the importance of including multi-parton contributions in the matrix elements and the improvement in the predictions when next-to-leading order terms are included.
The cross section for Z($\rightarrow\ell\ell$) + jets production measured as a function of the exclusive jet multiplicity, $N_{\text{jets}}$, and breakdown of the relative uncertainty.
Bin-to-bin correlation in the the cross section for Z($\rightarrow\ell\ell$) + jets production measured as a function of the exclusive jet multiplicity, $N_{\text{jets}}$.
The cross section for Z($\rightarrow\ell\ell$) + jets production measured as a function of the 1$^\text{st}$ jet $p_{\text{T}}$, $p_{\text{T}}(\text{j}_1)$, and breakdown of the relative uncertainty.
The rate for Higgs (H) bosons production in association with either one (tH) or two ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H) top quarks is measured in final states containing multiple electrons, muons, or tau leptons decaying to hadrons and a neutrino, using proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the CMS experiment. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is aimed at events that contain H $\to$ WW, H $\to$$\tau\tau$, or H $\to$ ZZ decays and each of the top quark(s) decays either to lepton+jets or all-jet channels. Sensitivity to signal is maximized by including ten signatures in the analysis, depending on the lepton multiplicity. The separation among the tH, the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H, and the backgrounds is enhanced through machine-learning techniques and matrix-element methods. The measured production rates for the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H and tH signals correspond to 0.92 $\pm$ 0.19 (stat) $^{+0.17}_{-0.13}$ (syst) and 5.7 $\pm$ 2.7 (stat) $\pm$ 3.0 (syst) of their respective standard model (SM) expectations. The corresponding observed (expected) significance amounts to 4.7 (5.2) standard deviations for $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H, and to 1.4 (0.3) for tH production. Assuming that the Higgs boson coupling to the tau lepton is equal in strength to its expectation in the SM, the coupling $y_{\mathrm{t}}$ of the Higgs boson to the top quark divided by its SM expectation, $\kappa_\mathrm{t}$ = $y_\mathrm{t} / y_\mathrm{t}^\mathrm{SM}$, is constrained to be within $-$0.9 $\lt$$\kappa_\mathrm{t}$$\lt$$-$0.7 or 0.7 $\lt$$\kappa_\mathrm{t}$$\lt$ 1.1, at 95% confidence level. This result is the most sensitive measurement of the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H production rate to date.
Number of events selected in the $3\ell$- and $4\ell$-CRs and in the CR for the ttW background, compared to the event yields expected from different types of background and from the ttH and tH signals, after the fit to data is performed. Uncertainties shown include all systematic components.
Number of events selected in the $3\ell$- and $4\ell$-CRs and in the CR for the ttW background, compared to the event yields expected from different types of background and from the ttH and tH signals, after the fit to data is performed. Uncertainties shown include all systematic components.
Summary of the sources of systematic and statistical uncertainties and their impact on the measurement of the ttH and tH signal rates, and the measured value of the unconstrained nuisance parameters. The quantity $\Delta r_{x}/r_{x}$ corresponds to the change in uncertainty when fixing the nuisance parameters associated with that uncertainty in the fit. Under the label "MC and sideband statistical uncertainty" are the uncertainties associated with the limited number of simulated MC events and the amount of data events in the application region of the MP method.
Forum