The top quark pair production cross section is measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The data were collected in a special LHC low-energy and low-intensity run in 2017, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 302 pb$^{-1}$. The measurement is performed using events with one electron and one muon of opposite charge, and at least two jets. The measured cross section is 60.7 $\pm$ 5.0 (stat) $\pm$ 2.8 (syst) $\pm$ 1.1 (lumi) pb. To reduce the statistical uncertainty, a combination with the result in the single lepton + jets channel, based on data collected in 2015 at the same center-of-mass energy and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 27.4 pb$^{-1}$, is then performed. The resulting measured value is 63.0 $\pm$ 4.1 (stat) $\pm$ 3.0 (syst+lumi) pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction of 66.8 $^{+2.9}_{-3.1}$ pb.

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations of prompt D$^0$ mesons are measured in PbPb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV. For the first time, a four-particle cumulant method is used to extract the second Fourier coefficient of the azimuthal distribution ($v_2$) of D$^0$ mesons as a function of event centrality and the D$^0$ transverse momentum. The ratios of the four-particle $v_2$ values to previously measured two-particle cumulant results provide direct experimental access to event-by-event fluctuations of charm quark azimuthal anisotropies. These ratios are also found to be comparable to those of inclusive charged particles in the event. However, hints of deviations are seen in the most central and peripheral collisions. To investigate the origin of flow fluctuations in the charm sector, these measurements are compared with models implementing fluctuations of charm quark energy loss via collisional or radiative processes in the quark-gluon plasma. These models cannot quantitatively describe the data over the full transverse momentum and centrality ranges, although the calculations with collisional energy loss provide a better description of the data.

The measurement of the cross section for the production of a Z boson, decaying to dielectrons or dimuons, in association with at least one bottom quark jet are performed with proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC during 2016-2018. The integrated cross sections for Z + $\ge$ 1 b jet and Z + $\ge$ 2 b jets are reported for the electron, muon, and combined channels. The fiducial cross sections in the combined channel are 6.52 $\pm$ 0.04 (stat) $\pm$ 0.40 (syst) $\pm$ 0.14 (theo) pb for Z + $\ge$ 1 b jet and 0.65 $\pm$ 0.03 (stat) $\pm$ 0.07 (syst) $\pm$ 0.02 (theo) pb for Z + $\ge$ 2 b jets. The differential cross section distributions are measured as functions of various kinematic observables that are useful for precision tests of perturbative quantum chromodynamics predictions. The ratios of integrated and differential cross sections for Z + $\ge$ 2 b jets and Z + $\ge$ 1 b jet processes are also determined. The value of the integrated cross section ratio measured in the combined channel is 0.100 $\pm$ 0.005 (stat) $\pm$ 0.007 (syst) $\pm$ 0.003 (theo). All measurements are compared with predictions from various event generators.

The first evidence for X(3872) production in relativistic heavy ion collisions is reported. The X(3872) production is studied in lead-lead (PbPb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair, using the decay chain X(3872) $\to$ J$/\psi\, \pi^+\pi^- \to$ $\mu^+\mu^-\pi^+\pi^-$. The data were recorded with the CMS detector in 2018 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.7 nb$^{-1}$. The measurement is performed in the rapidity and transverse momentum ranges $|y|$ $\lt$ 1.6 and 15 $\lt$ $p_\mathrm{T}$ $\lt$ 50 GeV$/c$. The significance of the inclusive X(3872) signal is 4.2 standard deviations. The prompt X(3872) to $\psi$(2S) yield ratio is found to be $\rho^\mathrm{PbPb} = $ 1.08 $\pm$ 0.49 (stat) $\pm$ 0.52 (syst), to be compared with typical values of 0.1 for pp collisions. This result provides a unique experimental input to theoretical models of the X(3872) production mechanism, and of the nature of this exotic state.

The first study of charm quark diffusion with respect to the jet axis in heavy ion collisions is presented. The measurement is performed using jets with $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{jet}$$>$ 60 GeV and D$^0$ mesons with $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{D}$$>$ 4 GeV in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV, recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The radial distribution of D$^0$ mesons with respect to the jet axis is sensitive to the production mechanisms of the meson, as well as to the energy loss and diffusion processes undergone by its parent parton inside the strongly interacting medium produced in PbPb collisions. When compared to Monte Carlo event generators, the radial distribution in pp collisions is found to be well-described by PYTHIA, while the slope of the distribution predicted by SHERPA is steeper than that of the data. In PbPb collisions, compared to the pp results, the D$^0$ meson distribution for 4 $<$$p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{D}$$<$ 20 GeV hints at a larger distance on average with respect to the jet axis, reflecting a diffusion of charm quarks in the medium created in heavy ion collisions. At higher $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{D}$, the PbPb and pp radial distributions are found to be similar.

A search for new heavy resonances decaying to a pair of Higgs bosons (HH) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is presented. Data were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Resonances with a mass between 0.8 and 4.5 TeV are considered using events in which one Higgs boson decays into a bottom quark pair and the other into final states with either one or two charged leptons. Specifically, the single-lepton decay channel HH $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}$WW$^*$ $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}\ell\nu q\bar{q}'$ and the dilepton decay channels HH $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}$WW$^*$ $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}\ell\nu \ell\nu$ and HH $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}\tau\tau$ $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}\ell\nu\nu \ell\nu\nu$ are examined, where $\ell$ in the final state corresponds to an electron or muon. The signal is extracted using a two-dimensional maximum likelihood fit of the H $\to$ $\mathrm{b\bar{b}}$ jet mass and HH invariant mass distributions. No significant excess above the standard model expectation is observed in data. Model-independent exclusion limits are placed on the product of the cross section and branching fraction for narrow spin-0 and spin-2 massive bosons decaying to HH. The results are also interpreted in the context of radion and bulk graviton production in models with a warped extra spatial dimension. The results provide the most stringent limits to date for X $\to$ HH signatures with final-state leptons and at some masses provide the most sensitive limits of all X $\to$ HH searches.

A search has been performed for heavy resonances decaying to ZZ or ZW and for axion-like particles (ALPs) mediating nonresonant ZZ or ZH production, in final states with two charged leptons ($\ell$ = e, $\mu$) produced by the decay of a Z boson, and two quarks produced by the decay of a Z, W, or Higgs boson H. The analysis is sensitive to resonances with masses in the range 450 to 2000 GeV. Two categories are defined corresponding to the merged or resolved reconstruction of the hadronically decaying boson. The search is based on data collected during 2016-2018 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess is observed in the data above the standard model background expectation. Upper limits on the production cross section of heavy, narrow spin-2 and spin-1 resonances are derived as functions of the resonance mass, and exclusion limits on the production of bulk graviton particles and W$'$ bosons are calculated in the framework of the warped extra dimensions and heavy vector triplet models, respectively. In addition, upper limits on the ALP-mediated diboson production cross section and ALP couplings to standard model particles are obtained in the framework of linear and chiral effective field theories. These are the first limits on nonresonant ALP-mediated ZZ and ZH production obtained by the LHC experiments.

Differential cross section measurements of W$^\pm\gamma$ production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV are presented. The data set used in this study was collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2016-2018 with an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Candidate events containing an electron or muon, a photon, and missing transverse momentum are selected. The measurements are compared with standard model predictions computed at next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading orders in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. Constraints on the presence of TeV-scale new physics affecting the WW$\gamma$ vertex are determined within an effective field theory framework, focusing on the $\mathcal{O}_\mathrm{3W}$ operator. A simultaneous measurement of the photon transverse momentum and the azimuthal angle of the charged lepton in a special reference frame is performed. This two-dimensional approach provides up to a factor of ten more sensitivity to the interference between the standard model and the $\mathcal{O}_\mathrm{3W}$ contribution than using the transverse momentum alone.

Measurements of the associated production of a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV are reported. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm quark jets are selected using distinctive signatures of charm hadron decays. The product of the cross section and branching fraction $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W + c + X) $\mathcal{B}$(W $\to$$\ell\nu$), where $\ell$ = e or $\mu$, and the cross section ratio $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W$^+$ + c + X) / $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W$^-$ + $\mathrm{\bar{c}}$ + X) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the pseudorapidity and of the transverse momentum of the lepton from the W boson decay. The results are compared with theoretical predictions. The impact of these measurements on the determination of the strange quark distribution is assessed.

A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model (SM) using electron or muon pairs with high invariant mass. A data set of proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV from 2016 to 2018 corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of up to 140 fb$^{-1}$ is analyzed. No significant deviation is observed with respect to the SM background expectations. Upper limits are presented on the ratio of the product of the production cross section and the branching fraction to dileptons of a new narrow resonance to that of the Z boson. These provide the most stringent lower limits to date on the masses for various spin-1 particles, spin-2 gravitons in the Randall--Sundrum model, as well as spin-1 mediators between the SM and dark matter particles. Lower limits on the ultraviolet cutoff parameter are set both for four-fermion contact interactions and for the Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos, and Dvali model with large extra dimensions. Lepton flavor universality is tested at the TeV scale for the first time by comparing the dimuon and dielectron mass spectra. No significant deviation from the SM expectation of unity is observed.