Search for a standard model-like Higgs boson in the μ+μ and e+e decay channels at the LHC

CMS Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

85 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A search is presented for a standard model-like Higgs boson decaying to the μ+μ or e+e final states based on proton–proton collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 5.0 fb−1 at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 19.7 fb−1 at 8 TeV for the μ+μ search, and of 19.7 fb−1 at 8 TeV for the e+e search. Upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction at the 95% confidence level are reported for Higgs boson masses in the range from 120 to 150 GeV. For a Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV decaying to μ+μ, the observed (expected) upper limit on the production rate is found to be 7.4 (6.5−1.9 +2.8) times the standard model value. This corresponds to an upper limit on the branching fraction of 0.0016. Similarly, for e+e, an upper limit of 0.0019 is placed on the branching fraction, which is ≈3.7×105 times the standard model value. These results, together with recent evidence of the 125 GeV boson coupling to τ-leptons with a larger branching fraction consistent with the standard model, confirm that the leptonic couplings of the new boson are not flavour-universal.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)184-207
Number of pages24
JournalPhysics Letters, Section B: Nuclear, Elementary Particle and High-Energy Physics
Volume744
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 11 2015

Keywords

  • CMS
  • Dielectron
  • Dilepton
  • Dimuon
  • Electron
  • Higgs
  • Higgs boson
  • Lepton
  • Muon
  • Physics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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