Search for ZH to llbb production in 4.2 fb^-1 of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for the Higgs boson produced with a Z boson in proton-antiproton collisions, setting limits on the production cross section at Fermilab's Tevatron with no significant excess observed.

Contribution

First search for ZH production in the llbb final state at the Tevatron with detailed event selection and background analysis.

Findings

No excess observed over background expectations.

Set upper limits on ZH production cross section at 115 GeV.

Limit is 5.9 times the standard model prediction.

Abstract

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in 4.2 fb^-1 of p-pbar collisions, collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV. Selected events contain one reconstructed Z to llbb candidate and at least two jets, including at least one b-tagged jet. In the absence of an excess over the background expected from other standard model processes, limits on the ZH cross section multiplied by the branching ratios are set. The limit at M_H = 115 GeV is a factor of 5.9 larger than the standard model prediction.