Search for SM Higgs in the $WH \to l\nu b\bar{b}$ Channel using $\sim$2fb$^{-1}$

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for the Standard Model Higgs boson produced with a W boson, using approximately 2 fb$^{-1}$ of data from the CDF detector, employing neural networks to distinguish signal from background.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis using neural networks and b-jet identification to improve sensitivity in the Higgs search in the $WH o l u bar{b}$ channel.

Findings

No significant excess observed over Standard Model background.

Set upper limits on the $WH$ production cross section times branching ratio.

Results are consistent with Standard Model expectations.

Abstract

We report a search for Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson production in association with a $W^{\pm}$ boson. This search uses data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $\math rm{1.9 fb^{-1}}$ collected with the CDF detector at Tevatron. We select events matching the $W$ + jets signature and require at least one jets to be identified as $b$-quark jets . To further increase discrimination between signal and background, we use kinematic information in an artificial neural network. The number of tagged events and the resulting neural network output distributions are consistent with the Standard Model expectations, and we set an upper limit on the $WH$ produ ction cross section times branching ratio $\sigma(p\bar{p} \to W{^\pm}H)\times BR(H\to b\bar{b}) < 1.1$ to 1.0 pb for Higgs masses from 110 GeV/$c^{2}$ to 150 G eV/c$^2$ at 95% confidence level.