A search is presented for fractionally charged particles with charge below 1$e$, using their small energy loss in the tracking detector as a key variable to observe a signal. The analyzed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions collected at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in 2016-2018 at the CERN LHC. This is the first search at the LHC for new particles with charges between $e/$3 and 0.9$e$, including an extension of previous results at a charge of 2$e/$3. Masses up to 640 GeV and charges as low as $e/$3 are excluded at 95% confidence level. These are the most stringent limits to date for the considered Drell-Yan-like production mode.
A search for W$\gamma$ resonances in the mass range between 0.7 and 6.0 TeV is presented. The W boson is reconstructed via its hadronic decays, with the final-state products forming a single large-radius jet, owing to a high Lorentz boost of the W boson. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016-2018. The W$\gamma$ mass spectrum is parameterized with a smoothly falling background function and examined for the presence of resonance-like signals. No significant excess above the predicted background is observed. Model-specific upper limits at 95% confidence level on the product of the cross section and branching fraction to the W$\gamma$ channel are set. Limits for narrow resonances and for resonances with an intrinsic width equal to 5% of their mass, for spin-0 and spin-1 hypotheses, range between 0.17 fb at 6.0 TeV and 55 fb at 0.7 TeV. These are the most restrictive limits to date on the existence of such resonances over a large range of probed masses. In specific heavy scalar (vector) triplet benchmark models, narrow resonances with masses between 0.75 (1.15) and 1.40 (1.36) TeV are excluded for a range of model parameters. Model-independent limits on the product of the cross section, signal acceptance, and branching fraction to the W$\gamma$ channel are set for minimum W$\gamma$ mass thresholds between 1.5 and 8.0 TeV.
A search for high-mass dimuon resonance production in association with one or more b quark jets is presented. The study uses proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Model-independent limits are derived on the number of signal events with exactly one or more than one b quark jet. Results are also interpreted in a lepton-flavor-universal model with Z$'$ boson couplings to a bb quark pair ($g_\mathrm{b}$), an sb quark pair ($g_\mathrm{b}\delta_\mathrm{bs}$), and any same-flavor charged lepton ($g_\ell$) or neutrino pair ($g_\nu$), with $\left|g_{\nu}\right| = \left|g_\ell\right|$. For a Z$'$ boson with a mass $m_{\mathrm{Z}'}$ = 350 GeV (2 TeV) and $\left|\delta_\mathrm{bs}\right|$$\lt$ 0.25, the majority of the parameter space with 0.0057 $\lt$$\left|g_\ell\right|$$\lt$ 0.35 (0.25 $\lt$$\left|g_\ell\right|$$\lt$ 0.43) and 0.0079 $\lt$$\left|g_\mathrm{b}\right|$$\lt$ 0.46 (0.34 $\lt$$\left|g_\mathrm{b}\right|$$\lt$ 0.57) is excluded at 95% confidence level. Finally, constraints are set on a Z$'$ model with parameters consistent with low-energy b $\to$ s$\ell\ell$ measurements. In this scenario, most of the allowed parameter space is excluded for a Z$'$ boson with 350 $\lt m_{\mathrm{Z}'}$ $\lt$ 500 GeV, while the constraints are less stringent for higher $m_{\mathrm{Z}'}$ hypotheses. This is the first dedicated search at the LHC for a high-mass dimuon resonance produced in association with multiple b quark jets, and the constraints obtained on models with this signature are the most stringent to date.
A search for beyond-the-standard-model neutral Higgs bosons decaying to a pair of bottom quarks, and produced in association with at least one additional bottom quark, is performed with the CMS detector. The data were recorded in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.7-126.9 fb$^{-1}$ depending on the probed mass range. No signal above the standard model background expectation is observed. Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction are set for Higgs bosons in the mass range of 125-1800 GeV. The results are interpreted in benchmark scenarios of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, as well as suitable classes of two-Higgs-doublet models.
For the first time at LHC energies, the forward rapidity gap spectra from proton-lead collisions for both proton and lead dissociation processes are presented. The analysis is performed over 10.4 units of pseudorapidity at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV, almost 300 times higher than in previous measurements of diffractive production in proton-nucleus collisions. For lead dissociation processes, which correspond to the pomeron-lead event topology, the EPOS-LHC generator predictions are a factor of two below the data, but the model gives a reasonable description of the rapidity gap spectrum shape. For the pomeron-proton topology, the EPOS-LHC, QGSJET II, and HIJING predictions are all at least a factor of five lower than the data. The latter effect might be explained by a significant contribution of ultra-peripheral photoproduction events mimicking the signature of diffractive processes. These data may be of significant help in understanding the high energy limit of quantum chromodynamics and for modeling cosmic ray air showers.
The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in $\tau$-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a $\tau$ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-$\tau$-quark coupling strength.
A search for W' bosons decaying to a top and a bottom quark in final states including an electron or a muon is performed with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 Tev. Good agreement with the standard model expectation is observed and no evidence for the existence of the W' boson is found over the mass range examined. The largest observed deviation from the standard model expectation is found for a W' boson mass ($m_\mathrm{W'}$) hypothesis of 3.8 TeV with a relative decay width of 1%, with a local (global) significance of 2.6 (2.0) standard deviations. Upper limits on the production cross sections of W' bosons decaying to a top and a bottom quark are set. Left- and right-handed W' bosons with $m_\mathrm{W'}$ below 3.9 and 4.3 TeV, respectively, are excluded at the 95% confidence level, under the assumption that the new particle has a narrow decay width. Limits are also set for relative decay widths up to 30%.
The polarization of $\tau$ leptons is measured using leptonic and hadronic $\tau$ lepton decays in Z $\to$$\tau^+\tau^-$ events in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded by CMS at the CERN LHC with an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb$^{-1}$. The measured $\tau^-$ polarization at the Z boson mass pole is $\mathcal{P}_{\tau}$(Z) = $-$0.144 $\pm$ 0.006 (stat) $\pm$ 0.014 (syst) = $-$0.144 $\pm$ 0.015, in good agreement with the measurement of the $\tau$ lepton asymmetry parameter of $A_{\tau}$ = 0.1439 $\pm$ 0.0043 = $-\mathcal{P}_{\tau}$(Z) at LEP. The $\tau$ polarization depends on the ratio of the vector to axial-vector couplings of the $\tau$ leptons in the neutral current expression, and thus on the effective weak mixing angle $\sin^{2}\theta_\mathrm{W}^{\text{eff}}$, independently of the Z boson production mechanism. The obtained value $\sin^{2}\theta_\mathrm{W}^{\text{eff}}$ = 0.2319 $\pm$ 0.0008 (stat) $\pm$ 0.0018 (syst) = 0.2319 $\pm$ 0.0019 is in good agreement with measurements at e$^+$e$^-$ colliders.
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.
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.
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