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.

The ratio of the production cross sections times branching fractions (sigma(Bc+) B(Bc+ to J/psi pi+))/ (sigma(B+) B(B+ to J/psi K+)) is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. The kinematic region investigated requires Bc+/- and B+/- mesons with transverse momentum pt > 15 GeV and rapidity abs(y) < 1.6. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 inverse femtobarns. The ratio is determined to be [0.48 +/- 0.05 (stat) +/- 0.03 (syst) +/- 0.05 (tau_{Bc})]% The J/psi pi+/- pi+/- pi-/+ decay mode is also observed in the same data sample. Using a model-independent method developed to measure the efficiency given the presence of resonant behaviour in the three-pion system, the ratio of the branching fractions B(Bc+/- to J/psi pi+/- pi+/- pi-/+) / B(Bc+/- to J/psi pi+/-) is measured to be 2.55 +/- 0.80 (stat) +/- 0.33 (syst) +0.04/-0.01 (tau[Bc+]), consistent with the previous LHCb result.

The normalised differential top quark-antiquark production cross section is measured as a function of the jet multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC with the CMS detector. The measurement is performed in both the dilepton and lepton + jets decay channels using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns. Using a procedure to associate jets to decay products of the top quarks, the differential cross section of the t t-bar production is determined as a function of the additional jet multiplicity in the lepton + jets channel. Furthermore, the fraction of events with no additional jets is measured in the dilepton channel, as a function of the threshold on the jet transverse momentum. The measurements are compared with predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics and no significant deviations are observed.

This paper presents distributions of topological observables in inclusive three- and four-jet events produced in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with a data sample collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to a luminosity of 5.1 inverse femtobarns. The distributions are corrected for detector effects, and compared with several event generators based on two- and multi-parton matrix elements at leading order. Among the considered calculations, MADGRAPH interfaced with PYTHIA6 displays the best overall agreement with data.

Measurements of differential cross sections are presented for the production of a Z boson and at least one hadronic jet in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, recorded by the CMS detector, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns. The jet multiplicity distribution is measured for up to six jets. The differential cross sections are measured as a function of jet transverse momentum and pseudorapidity for the four highest transverse momentum jets. The distribution of the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta is also measured as a function of the jet multiplicity. The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions at leading and next-to-leading order in perturbative QCD.

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pt) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MADGRAPH + PYTHIA and SHERPA, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BLACKHAT + SHERPA. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pt distributions of the leading jets at high pt values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.

Event-shape variables, which are sensitive to perturbative and nonperturbative aspects of quantum chromodynamic (QCD) interactions, are studied in multijet events recorded in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. Events are selected with at least one jet with transverse momentum pt > 110 GeV and pseudorapidity abs(eta) < 2.4, in a data sample corresponding to integrated luminosities of up to 5 inverse femtobarns. The distributions of five event-shape variables in various leading jet pt ranges are compared to predictions from different QCD Monte Carlo event generators.

The t t-bar charge asymmetry in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is measured using the dilepton decay channel (ee, e mu, or mu mu). The data correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The t t-bar and lepton charge asymmetries, defined as the differences in absolute values of the rapidities between the reconstructed top quarks and antiquarks and of the pseudorapidities between the positive and negative leptons, respectively, are measured to be Ac = -0.010 +/- 0.017 (stat.) +/- 0.008 (syst.) and Ac[lep] = 0.009 +/- 0.010 (stat.) +/- 0.006 (syst). The lepton charge asymmetry is also measured as a function of the invariant mass, rapidity, and transverse momentum of the t t-bar system. All measurements are consistent with the expectations of the standard model.

Measurements of the differential cross sections for the production of exactly four jets in proton-proton collisions are presented as a function of the transverse momentum pt and pseudorapidity eta, together with the correlations in azimuthal angle and the pt balance among the jets. The data sample was collected in 2010 at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, with an integrated luminosity of 36 inverse picobarns. The cross section for a final state with a pair of hard jets with pt > 50 GeV and another pair with pt > 20 GeV within abs(eta) < 4.7 is measured to be sigma = 330 +- 5 (stat.) +- 45 (syst.) nb. It is found that fixed-order matrix element calculations including parton showers describe the measured differential cross sections in some regions of phase space only, and that adding contributions from double parton scattering brings the Monte Carlo predictions closer to the data.

Measurements of the inclusive jet cross section with the anti-kt clustering algorithm are presented for two radius parameters, R=0.5 and 0.7. They are based on data from LHC proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns collected with the CMS detector in 2011. The ratio of these two measurements is obtained as a function of the rapidity and transverse momentum of the jets. Significant discrepancies are found comparing the data to leading-order simulations and to fixed-order calculations at next-to-leading order, corrected for nonperturbative effects, whereas simulations with next-to-leading-order matrix elements matched to parton showers describe the data best.

The differential cross sections for the production of photons in Z to mu+ mu- gamma decays are presented as a function of the transverse energy of the photon and its separation from the nearest muon. The data for these measurements were collected with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 inverse femtobarns of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV delivered by the CERN LHC. The cross sections are compared to simulations with POWHEG and PYTHIA, where PYTHIA is used to simulate parton showers and final-state photons. These simulations match the data to better than 5%.

The double-differential cross sections of promptly produced J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are measured in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, as a function of transverse momentum pt and absolute rapidity abs(y). The analysis uses J/psi and psi(2S) dimuon samples collected by CMS, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 4.55 and 4.90 inverse femtobarns, respectively. The results are based on a two-dimensional analysis of the dimuon invariant mass and decay length, and extend to pt = 120 and 100 GeV for the J/psi and psi(2S), respectively, when integrated over the interval abs(y) < 1.2. The ratio of the psi(2S) to J/psi cross sections is also reported for abs(y) < 1.2, over the range 10 < pt < 100 GeV. These are the highest pt values for which the cross sections and ratio have been measured.

Production of prompt J/$\psi$ meson pairs in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV is measured with the CMS experiment at the LHC in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 4.7 inverse-femtobarns. The two J/$\psi$ mesons are fully reconstructed via their decays into $\mu^+\mu^-$ pairs. This observation provides for the first time access to the high-transverse-momentum region of J/$\psi$ pair production where model predictions are not yet established. The total and differential cross sections are measured in a phase space defined by the individual J/$\psi$ transverse momentum ($p_T^{J/\psi}$) and rapidity (|$y^{J/\psi}$|): |$y^{J/\psi}$| lower than 1.2 for $p_T^{J/\psi}$ greater than 6.5 GeV/c; |$y^{J/\psi}$| in [1.2,1.43] for a $p_T$ threshold that scales linearly with |$y^{J/\psi}$| from 6.5 to 4.5 GeV/c; and |$y^{J/\psi}$| in [1.43,2.2] for $p_T^{J/\psi}$ greater than 4.5 GeV/c. The total cross section, assuming unpolarized prompt J/$\psi$ pair production is 1.49 $\pm$ 0.07 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.13 (syst.) nb. Different assumptions about the J/$\psi$ polarization imply modifications to the cross section ranging from -31% to +27%.

A measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns collected with the CMS detector. A data-driven isolation template method is used to extract the prompt diphoton yield. The measured cross section for two isolated photons, with transverse energy above 40 and 25 GeV respectively, in the pseudorapidity range abs(eta) < 2.5, abs(eta) not in [1.44,1.57] and with an angular separation Delta R > 0.45, is 17.2 +/- 0.2 (stat.) +/- 1.9 (syst.) +/- 0.4 (lum.) pb. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of the diphoton invariant mass, the diphoton transverse momentum, the azimuthal angle difference between the two photons, and the cosine of the polar angle in the Collins-Soper reference frame of the diphoton system. The results are compared to theoretical predictions at leading, next-to-leading, and next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics.

Measurements of the muon charge asymmetry in inclusive pp to WX production at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV are presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 inverse femtobarns recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC. With a sample of more than twenty million W to mu nu events, the statistical precision is greatly improved in comparison to previous measurements. These new results provide additional constraints on the parton distribution functions of the proton in the range of the Bjorken scaling variable x from 10E-3 to 10E-1. These measurements and the recent CMS measurement of associated W + charm production are used together with the cross sections for inclusive deep inelastic ep scattering at HERA in a next-to-leading-order QCD analysis. The determination of the valence quark distributions is improved, and the strange-quark distribution is probed directly through the leading-order process g + s to W + c in proton-proton collisions at the LHC.

Differential cross sections as a function of transverse momentum pt are presented for the production of Y(nS) (n = 1, 2, 3) states decaying into a pair of muons. Data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analysis selects events with dimuon rapidity abs(y) < 1.2 and dimuon transverse momentum in the range 10 < pt < 100 GeV. The measurements show a transition from an exponential to a power-law behavior at pt ~ 20 GeV for the three Y states. Above that transition, the Y spectrum is significantly harder than that of the Y(1S) and Y(2S). The ratios of the Y(3S) and Y(2S) differential cross sections to the Y(1S) cross section show a rise as pt increases at low pt, then become flatter at higher pt.

The polarizations of prompt J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are measured in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using a dimuon data sample collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 inverse femtobarns. The prompt J/psi and psi(2S) polarization parameters lambda[theta], lambda[phi], and lambda[theta,phi], as well as the frame-invariant quantity lambda(tilde), are measured from the dimuon decay angular distributions in three different polarization frames. The J/psi results are obtained in the transverse momentum range 14 < pt < 70 GeV, in the rapidity intervals abs(y) < 0.6 and 0.6 < abs(y) < 1.2. The corresponding psi(2S) results cover 14 < pt < 50 GeV and include a third rapidity bin, 1.2 < abs(y) < 1.5. No evidence of large transverse or longitudinal polarizations is seen in these kinematic regions, which extend much beyond those previously explored.

Measurements are presented of the associated production of a W boson and a charm-quark jet (W + c) in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The analysis is conducted with a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns, collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. W boson candidates are identified by their decay into a charged lepton (muon or electron) and a neutrino. The W + c measurements are performed for charm-quark jets in the kinematic region $p_T^{jet} \gt$ 25 GeV, $|\eta^{jet}| \lt$ 2.5, for two different thresholds for the transverse momentum of the lepton from the W-boson decay, and in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta^{\ell}| \lt$ 2.1. Hadronic and inclusive semileptonic decays of charm hadrons are used to measure the following total cross sections: $\sigma(pp \to W + c + X) \times B(W \to \ell \nu)$ = 107.7 +/- 3.3 (stat.) +/- 6.9 (syst.) pb ($p_T^{\ell} \gt$ 25 GeV) and $\sigma(pp \to W + c + X) \times B(W \to \ell \nu)$ = 84.1 +/- 2.0 (stat.) +/- 4.9 (syst.) pb ($p_T^{\ell} \gt$ 35 GeV), and the cross section ratios $\sigma(pp \to W^+ + \bar{c} + X)/\sigma(pp \to W^- + c + X)$ = 0.954 +/- 0.025 (stat.) +/- 0.004 (syst.) ($p_T^{\ell} \gt$ 25 GeV) and $\sigma(pp \to W^+ + \bar{c} + X)\sigma(pp \to W^- + c + X)$ = 0.938 +/- 0.019 (stat.) +/- 0.006 (syst.) ($p_T^{\ell} \gt$ 35 GeV). Cross sections and cross section ratios are also measured differentially with respect to the absolute value of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the W-boson decay. These are the first measurements from the LHC directly sensitive to the strange quark and antiquark content of the proton. Results are compared with theoretical predictions and are consistent with the predictions based on global fits of parton distribution functions.

The W-boson helicity fractions in top-quark decays are measured with ttbar events in the lepton+jets final state, using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, collected in 2011 with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns. The measured fractions of longitudinal, left-, and right-handed helicity are F0 = 0.682 +/- 0.030 (stat.) +/- 0.033 (syst.), FL = 0.310 +/- 0.022 (stat.) +/- 0.022 (syst.), and FR = 0.008 +/- 0.012 (stat.) +/- 0.014 (syst.), consistent with the standard model predictions. The measured fractions are used to probe the existence of anomalous Wtb couplings. Exclusion limits on the real components of the anomalous couplings gL, gR are also derived.

The production of a Z boson, decaying into two leptons and produced in association with one or more b jets, is studied using proton-proton collisions delivered by the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data were recorded in 2011 with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5 inverse femtobarns. The Z(ll) + b-jets cross sections (where ll = mu mu or ee) are measured separately for a Z boson produced with exactly one b jet and with at least two b jets. In addition, a cross section ratio is extracted for a Z boson produced with at least one b jet, relative to a Z boson produced with at least one jet. The measured cross sections are compared to various theoretical predictions, and the data favour the predictions in the five-flavour scheme, where b quarks are assumed massless. The kinematic properties of the reconstructed particles are compared with the predictions from the MADGRAPH event generator using the PYTHIA parton shower simulation.

Measurements of $W\gamma$ and $Z\gamma$ production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV are used to extract limits on anomalous triple gauge couplings. The results are based on data recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC that correspond to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns. The cross sections are measured for photon transverse momenta $p_T^{\gamma} \gt$ 15 GeV, and for separations between photons and final-state charged leptons in the pseudorapidity-azimuthal plane of $\Delta R(l, \gamma) \gt$ 0.7 in $l \nu \gamma$ and $ll \gamma$ final states, where l refers either to an electron or a muon. A dilepton invariant mass requirement of $m_{ll} \gt$ 50 GeV is imposed for the Z$\gamma$ process. No deviations are observed relative to predictions from the standard model, and limits are set on anomalous WW$\gamma$, ZZ$\gamma$, and Z$\gamma\gamma$ triple gauge couplings.

Characteristics of multi-particle production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=7 TeV are studied as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity, $N_{ch}$. The produced particles are separated into two classes: those belonging to jets and those belonging to the underlying event. Charged particles are measured with pseudorapidity |η|<2.4 and transverse momentum $p_T$ > 0.25 GeV/c. Jets are reconstructed from charged-particles only and required to have $p_T$ > 5 GeV/c. The distributions of jet $p_T$, average $p_T$ of charged particles belonging to the underlying event or to jets, jet rates, and jet shapes are presented as functions of $N_{ch}$ and compared to the predictions of the PYTHIA and HERWIG event generators. Predictions without multi-parton interactions fail completely to describe the $N_{ch}$-dependence observed in the data. For increasing $N_{ch}$, PYTHIA systematically predicts higher jet rates and harder $p_T$ spectra than seen in the data, whereas HERWIG shows the opposite trends. At the highest multiplicity, the data–model agreement is worse for most observables, indicating the need for further tuning and/or new model ingredients.

A measurement of the triple-differential cross section (sigma as a function of the photon pt and eta and the jet eta) in photon + jets final states using a data sample from proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented. This sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.14 inverse femtobarns collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. Photons and jets are reconstructed within a pseudorapidity range of abs(eta) < 2.5, and are required to have transverse momenta in the range 40 < pt(gamma) < 300 GeV and pt(jet) > 30 GeV, respectively. The measurements are compared to theoretical predictions from the SHERPA leading-order QCD Monte Carlo event generator and the next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculation from JETPHOX. The predictions are found to be consistent with the data over most of the examined kinematic region.

The production cross section for a W boson and two b jets is measured using proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV in a data sample collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 inverse femtobarns. The W + b b-bar events are selected in the W to mu nu decay mode by requiring a muon with transverse momentum pt > 25 GeV and pseudorapidity abs(eta) < 2.1, and exactly two b-tagged jets with pt > 25 GeV and abs(eta) < 2.4. The measured W + b b-bar production cross section in the fiducial region, calculated at the level of final-state particles, is sigma(pp to W + b b-bar) x B(W to mu nu) = 0.53 +/- 0.05 (stat.) +/- 0.09 (syst.) +/- 0.06 (theo.) +/- 0.01 (lum.) pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction. In addition, kinematic distributions of the W + b b-bar system are in agreement with the predictions of a simulation using MADGRAPH and PYTHIA.

Measurements of the differential and double-differential Drell-Yan cross sections are presented using an integrated luminosity of 4.5(4.8) inverse femtobarns in the dimuon (dielectron) channel of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV. The measured inclusive cross section in the Z-peak region (60-120 GeV) is $\sigma(\ell \ell)$ = 986.4 +/- 0.6 (stat.) +/- 5.9 (exp. syst.) +/- 21.7 (th. syst.) +/- 21.7 (lum.) pb for the combination of the dimuon and dielectron channels. Differential cross sections $d\sigma/dm$ for the dimuon, dielectron, and combined channels are measured in the mass range 15 to 1500 GeV and corrected to the full phase space. Results are also presented for the measurement of the double-differential cross section $d^2\sigma/dm d |y|$ in the dimuon channel over the mass range 20 to 1500 GeV and absolute dimuon rapidity from 0 to 2.4. These measurements are compared to the predictions of perturbative QCD calculations at next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading orders using various sets of parton distribution functions.